Sosivu Caldwell, Leon Chaban, Yves Nazon, Theresa Thomas, Robert Walker.

Dear Villager,

Hope all is well in the year of The Mineral. And the spirits of ancestors are guiding you and all of us to be magnificent as we came to be and live our lives offering our gifts, with gratitude and abundance. 

This is invitation reminder to join us on Saturday & Sunday, May 25-26th, a meeting on the Land to address a new Council structure for the ECV, Board of Directors reports and much more. Please see additional event information below.

For those who cannot attend in person please call conference phone line:
(605) 313-4802, 311278# 

We plan to use this line during the day meetings and possibly event rituals. Please check with the line during the day on-goinly. Because your participation is very important to us, we will do our best to provide a connection with you to our best abilities. 

We plan to start Saturday at 9:30 am and also, there is ECV Board report at 4:00 pm. We will reconvene Sunday at 10 am and will go till 12:30 pm.
 
The East Coast Village is at a crossroads. We lost many villagers during the transition over the last few years and the Village has been grieving, trying to accept the painful losses and trying to figure our way forward. It has been a difficult and trying time for the Villagers of the ECV. 
 
Come help us to shape how we go forward from here. It is time to change! How do we develop and offer our gifts?

We will start at 10:30 am on Saturday and will complete at 1 pm on Sunday. 
 
A few of us met last year and outlined a Strategic Plan with inspirational ideas. Those spoken ideas need to be nourished and brought to life. Drafted ideas will be addressed at the meeting.  Together, we will figure out how to integrate those ideas with the support of Villagers and Friends and within the new structure so no one feels unsupported.
 
We are asking to listen to the Village Voices, wisdom keepers over the last 10 years and more, who dreamt the elegance of ECV into existence and the indigenous village teachings into the Western world. It is a very courageous vision and adversity has been staring into the heart of the ECV with all its might to make this vision go away. Now we need to come together as Villagers to fortify the Village and stand up to that adversity. 

We need all the people who are part of ECV. We ask that you make this meeting important to you. All Sobs, all Elders, Shrine Keepers, Villagers, old and new, we ask you to attend. We want to be transparent in what we are doing. Please spread the message to everyone else that you know who has been a part of the ECV, either a long time ago or recently,  to co-create an invigorated Village utilizing the core forms of Dagara medicine.
 
We will consider a proposed new governance structure in the form of a Council for decision making and responsibilities. Our Strategic Planning facilitators, Elder Lula Christopher and Villager Linda Cronin, both Mineral women, will be describing and addressing this new structure at the meeting. They have dedicated their gifts and talents to the Strategic Planning process over the past 3-years and are committed to helping all of us complete this process over the May 25-26th weekend during this Mineral year. 
 
Also, new Vision and Mission statements have been articulated by the ECV Board, following discussions in the Spring of 2018.  These will be presented and discussed at the meeting.

Outline what we would like to accomplish:
1. Opening and going to Mineral Shrine, please bring individual offering, tobacco, cornmeal, coins, what is calling you. This is a year to infuse and enhance Communication in ECV. Potential for Divination and visiting other shrines.
2. Presentation by Lula Christopher and Linda Cronin, summarization of Strategic Planning, proposal of a new governance structure, how it fits in with work groups outlined at SP of last year, discussion and decisions about it.
3. ECV Board of Directors activities report, what it has done, financial Treasure report, President report, ECV legal needs, challenges, website needs.
4. Elections of the Board.
5. Completion ritual.

Let us know if you will be in attendance. Bring a delicious meal to share with your villagers as this will be a potluck gathering. The kitchen will be ready to heat up the food.  In reciprocity for your service, there is no charge for this weekend, although monetary gifts will be greatly appreciated.

Please register in a sign in sheet as you arrive. We will ask you if you want to make a donation, $15-$20 suggested.

Note: Please see forthcoming information on committees created at SP in February 2018, we will discuss them. This is an opportunity for you to revitalize your vision and be active part of your gift, to offer support to others and be supported by the Village.

"Ancestors want you to rise"

Committees created at SPC Meeting Feb 17 to 18, 2018:
Membership and Community Development (Blue): Sula, Leon and Linda.

Finance (purple): Theresa, Yves, Laura and Royal. Note: Conversations around the amount of funding necessary for the village were discussed extensively prior to the groups breaking out. The basic amount necessary is $12,000, the basic middle around $18,000 optimally $20-24,000.

Programs (red): Peggy, Lula, Sosivu and Elaine.

Community Building and Outreach (black): Robert, Josh, Juan Carlos, Julie and Jeff, Jesse.

(Committees scope and brief work plan see at separate SPC group email)
 

RSVP
Contact Robert Walker: corpsecty@eastcoastvillage.org 
or 561-657-7518