Lisa Homes - Intentions and Answers...

 1) Why do an Eco-tellers retreat?   

By pooling our various approaches in using storytellling and theater we can advance our individual ability to educate the public on these environmental themes.  By learning to be more effective performers we can making it fun and interesting for children and adults to be environmentally educated.

 2) What is your intention for the retreat? 

To share my current work and learn more about what others are doing in environmental storytelling.

3) If you have only one hour of the time with the whole group of 15 to 20 people what would you do?

I would perform my educational plat called "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle." that I have produced and created with the support of the clark county waste management district,  I would love to get feed back from the group.

More on on Lisa Homes

Harold Wright plans for the retreat.

1) Why do a an eco-tellers retreat?   (Big Picture)

To explore ideas with  other storytellers   involved in  environmental  concerns, and how we, as tellers, can reach more people.

2) What is your intention for the retreat?  (Personal Focus)

Mostly to learn and listen. But  I will be happy to share in any brainstorming sessions.

3) If you have only one hour of the time with the whole group of 15 to 20 people what would you do?

I would be happy to share (with Jonatha)  a summary  our storytelling successes, especially in the area concerning  Ohio waters.  We tell stories involving  The Ohio River, the Great Lakes,  the wetlands like the Great Black Swamp,    local rivers and creeks,  all kinds of lakes (natural and man made),  the 19th century canal system, the great flood of 1913, and  the solutions to   the Miami Valley flooding  completed by Arthur Morgan, who later became President of Antioch college. We also have some cute stories about frogs and fish.

We did present this to the group of Eco Storytellers who where at the 2007 Eco Retreat at the Shaw Aboretum west of St. Louis.  The program has grown since that time, and entered new water topics.

Harold Wright of http://www.jonathaandharold.com

Jonatha Wright on the event...

 1) Why do a an eco-tellers retreat?   (Big Picture)

Keeping the dialog alive via story, an easier 'pill' (message) to take than the naked truth, is more critical each day as our Earth suffers from our constant abuse.  Perhaps we can change minds toward a movement to take care of Mother Earth, one story at a time, one storyteller at a time, one listener at a time....

This is a chance for Eco minded storytellers to regroup, energize, renew and brainstorm about a more healthy future.

2) What is your intention for the retreat?  (Personal Focus)

To share ideas to help me focus on my personal best plan that can make a difference, however small, in the years ahead.

3) If you have only one hour of the time with the whole group of 15 to 20 people what would you do?

Participate in a dialog of past and current successes in youth education in ecology efforts, with the goal of capitalizing on the positive:  what reaches the youth, what have youth ecologists been doing, how do the youth see their path to a healthy future. and such.

Eric Wolf Answers the question - Why we gather....

Storytelling is the most effective form of communication available to environmentalists. As environmental storytellers we have a lot of work cut out for us and we can not hope to achieve any level of success without mutual aid and support.

My intention for this weekend is to support all attendees in their passion and pursuit of place based, ecology inspired or earth balanced storytelling. I am very excited about this upcoming weekend. I am most likely going to share three things.

1) Learning Earth Theater - Sharing the ideas behind a unique form of interactive environmental activist education I have been working on for years.
2) Medicine Stories Work and Life - Native elder and storyteller.
3) Setting up a recording session for a donation CD for a local environmental nonprofit say the Tecumseh Land Trust..

In addition I will post back here with future draft schedules of events.