RHODE ISLAND
MEN'S GATHERING
Introduction
A Weekend in the
Woodlands of Rhode Island
URI Alton Jones Address: 401 Victory Highway,
West Greenwich, RI 02817
RIMG Mailing Address: P.O. Box 41382, Providence, RI 02940
The next RI Men's Gathering is February 15 - 17, 2008.
Join us for Rhode Island's sixteenth men's gathering-a weekend in the woodlands of the W. Alton Jones campus of the University of Rhode Island. This weekend provides men from different walks of life a chance to reconnect, learn, and gain support from the company of other men. The weekend will include a balance of workshops and opportunities for spontaneous activities, conversations, music, recreation, and relaxation.
Workshops are led by participants and have included such topics as Coping with Stress, Friendship and Trust, Divorce: Pain and Healing, Tai Chi, Poetry, Listening Skills, Singing and Chanting, Massage, Storytelling, and Fathers and Sons. Workshop descriptions are posted on Friday evening and sign-up is on a first-come, first-served basis. Also included are group-building and trust activities, a sweat lodge, group games, drumming sessions, an afternoon hike, and a talent show.
Opening and closing circles are two of the most important parts of the weekend. Opening circle, held just after dinner on Friday, is an opportunity for participants to introduce themselves and tell why they've come. The closing circle, held before lunch on Sunday, is a time for each person to speak about what the weekend has meant. Many men feel the circles are the most moving parts of the experience.
Situated on 2,300 acres of forest, lakes, and farmlands, the University of Rhode Island's W. Alton Jones Campus is an ideal place for a winter retreat. The campus offers miles of hiking trails and, weather and conditions permitting, opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice-skating.
The Environmental Education Center is handicap accessible, has a lodge with fireplaces, rustic heated cabins with hot showers (a sleeping bag is required), and a dining hall which serves wholesome meals including vegetarian options.
The weekend begins with a light snack of soup and rolls and check-in on Friday from 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM and ends Sunday after lunch. While the schedule is full of workshops, discussion, and entertainment, men can choose to spend time hiking or sitting around the fireplace relaxing.
The gathering is for men 18 years and older, and is alcohol and drug free, offering a safe, non-competitive, trusting environment for men to learn, grieve, celebrate, and share insights on the male experience. Fathers, sons, brothers, grandfathers, and mentors are encouraged to attend.