Inlakech, Spring 2002

BAWT CAFÉs and
Community Wide Weekend in April 2002

Kyle MacDonald,
BAWT Founder and CEO

2002 is shaping up to be the year that sets the stage to take the organization to "the next level". What exactly is the next level? We envision a regional organization that has multiple gear libraries and an extensive network of youth workers working with each other to get more and more under served youth into the wilderness. How we're able to make this happen depends largely on you, our community.

Throughout the past six months, BAWT has undergone a process of checking our assumptions about how we do what we do. In November and then again in January youth workers from the South Bay and then East Bay/San Francisco (respectively) answered these two questions:

1. "Why is it important to get young people outdoors?"
2. "How can BAWT better help you do this?"

Page Tompkins, one of BAWT's star steering committee members, asked people to answer these questions through a creative CAFÉ styled process, using crayons and markers, napkins and drawings. The images on these pages are some of the things you told us. Some of the most exciting ideas and concepts that came out of the events include:

• BAWT Youth Group
• Trip Fund/Grants
• More Youth Leadership
• Regional Gear Libraries
• Winter, Other (i.e. sea kayaking) Activities
• Youth/Adult WLT's
• Youth Outreach Coordinator/Motivator
• Expand Curriculum: Spiritual, Natural History, Environmental
• All female, All male WLT's
• Gear Drive- advertise on CraigsList, have several drop off points around the Bay Area on one Saturday morning.
• Open House
• Solidify money and maintain current staff at BAWT and bring in more money for more staff to implement all these GREAT IDEAS.

These were fantastic events for us! We were able to be with people ranging from folks who had been on the very first WLT, to our current interns and board, and even some new youth educators interested in becoming more involved with BAWT.

In February the steering committee took the information we collected from the CAFÉs and boiled it down into three areas of focus for the year to come:

1. Reducing Barriers to Trips for Youth
2. Connecting People to BAWT's Purpose
3. Building a More Financially Stable Organization

The board and staff will be taking a lead in all of these areas but again, our bandwidth depends on you. The agenda includes a Friday night slide show and campfire; a Saturday filled with teambuilding, break-out groups, solo time; and a Saturday Night Showcase of BAWT community talent including music, poetry, and stories. (If you'd like to perform, or share your talents please let us know!!!)

BAWT's Community Wide Week-end will give you an opportunity to help us put our plan into action! We have created a fun filled agenda for the weekend, which will include lots of your stories, good vibes, good food, and good people. Hope to see you there!

What: April Community Wide Weekend

Where: Elkus Ranch Conference Center (Half Moon Bay).

When: Friday (evening) April 12th through Sunday April 14th, 2002

Cost: $20/person (to help cover food and site rental expenses)

For questions or to confirm your spot call or email Gretchen at 510-452-2298 x 309, or gretchen@bawt.org