What to Bring

We are excited that you’re here and we want you to learn, have a blast, relax, work hard, and enjoy new experiences that help you grow to be the best version of yourself.  We also want to make sure that you allow plenty of space for everyone else here to be able to do the same.

With that in mind, the organizing team has learned a lot about how to make sure people feel safe emotionally and physically during the gathering.  This list has been compiled through years of experience and suggestions. It is intended as an ongoing collaborative agreement between everyone here to provide the safest learning environment possible, while recognizing the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalized among us.  

Drink water, about 4 times as much as you would if you weren’t spending all day outdoors in August.  Feeling thirsty is the first sign of dehydration.  Know the other signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion:  dizziness, confusion, headache, fainting, fatigue, profuse sweating, rapid heartbeat.

Wear sunscreen or protective clothing.  

Wear your shoes and have your kids wear their shoes.  We get it, this one’s hard. Our kids are probably not wearing their shoes right now.  Our medics treat a lot of foot injuries. Snakes bite when you step on them in the dark.

Check for ticks at least once every 12 hours.  Check your kids for ticks. Check your friends for ticks.  Have someone check you for ticks. Gain consent and check everywhere.  Remove a tick by grabbing it as close to your skin as possible and pulling it straight out.  Burning, twisting, or doing anything else you might have heard about to the tick will cause it to regurgitate its diseases into you.

Wash your hands before meals, after the toilet, as often as possible.  If you touch poison ivy, wash with soap and water. Don’t use soap in the lakes or in the streams.

Close the lid of every toilet you use every time you use it.  Then wash your hands. This is super important to break the cycle of feces> flies>food> gastrointestinal illness.

Please see a medic if you or your companion ends up sunburned, covered in ticks, dehydrated, heat exhausted, sick or hurt in any way.  These things happen. We have water, sun protection, bandages, non-chemical bug repellent, and basic herbal and over the counter remedies.  We will care for y’all compassionately and without judgement.

Care for each other.

Ask before you touch someone.  Then, wait for their response.  Do not proceed without a “yes.” Example:  “Can I give you a hug?” “Yes, please!” or, “No, I don’t want that.”  No always means no. Good consent is sometimes a little awkward to learn at first.  It’s worth it.

Nudity.  Don’t be naked without the expressed consent of anyone and everyone who might be able to see you. This includes children, especially in the Dining Hall – no naked children allowed near Dining. Men’s chests are included – you must leave your shirt on, unless you get explicit consent from everyone who can see you. Silence is not the same as consent.  During swim time, standard swim suits are allowed, and chests are exposed per usual there.  Breastfeeding is not considered nudity.

Be respectful of other people’s identities. As you meet new people this weekend, please avoid making assumptions about their identity and experience based on their appearance–this includes, but is not limited to, their race, sex, sexuality, and gender. In order to practice inclusivity of all human beings, many of us will share our pronouns along with our names when introducing ourselves. For example, “My name is Steph, she/her.” We do this to make it easier, so everyone will know what words to use for whom. If you yourself do not want to share your pronouns for any reason, you are welcome to leave that out.  

Don’t teach someone else’s workshop.  You may know way more about the topic than the instructor.  We know. We designed it that way. We have workshop leaders of all levels of knowledge and skill, and we like to provide opportunities to help people grow into teaching roles.  Please help them by applying to teach your great ideas next year.

Don’t be intoxicated in any way that someone who is not intoxicated might notice.

Smoke cigarettes only in designated smoking areas.

Respect the quiet hours.  We ask that any sound above conversational level be over and done with by midnight.  Any sound at conversational level should take place away from where people are sleeping.

Swim with a lifeguard on duty.  Insurance requires several certified lifeguards on duty during designated swim times.  You are not allowed to swim at your own risk without a lifeguard.  Watercraft carries different rules – you must wear a life jacket, but you are otherwise allowed to borrow the Camp’s watercrafts (canoes, kayaks, paddle boards) any time during the day. You must return them in the same condition and location you found them. NO SWIMMING OR WATERCRAFT AT NIGHT (insurance does not allow).

Zero Waste Event

• Reeds & Roots is a zero waste event
• Compost, recycling, and trash collection will be available.
• We are responsible for the waste we bring to camp, and create at the skillshare.  Please plan to pack out everything you pack in.
• More info available during morning circle.

Please talk with a Reeds & Roots organizer about any concerns you may have about anything on this list or anything we may have left out.  We are here to help.