"Mapping our Connections - Looking to the Future"

32nd Annual Alternative New Year Gathering
 
 Celebrate Life Instead of Nuclear Madness. For over 3 decades Southern peace and justice activists have gathered on New Year's Eve at the gates of Kings Bay Trident Nuclear Submarine Base to protest this Cold War, Offensive First Strike Thermo-nuclear Weapons System. Each sub having 24 Trident Missles, each Missle having 8 warheads makes this the center of nuclear madness and an unneccessary risk to life on this planet....
 

Monday, December 30, 2013 to New Year's Day, January 1, 2014!  

We are expecting a good crowd with folks coming from FL, GA, AL, NC, SC.

Gathering is at the Crooked River State Park,  located 7 miles north of St. Mary's, GA on Spur 40.  Go to http://www.gastateparks.org/CrookedRiver for more details on all that is offered in this beautiful state park.   (see directions below)  

There is still cottage/bed space available.  Please call or email now if you want to reserve your place call  828.301.6683 or  Email New South Network

ARRIVAL: Monday, December 30th.  Check-in starts at 4 p.m.  Upon arrival, purchase a parking pass for your vehicle ($5) at the Office. Cabin fees will be settled with the Cottage Contact in your cabin.

  COST:  Space in a shared cottage is approx. $20 per night, sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on how many share the space.  Please make arrangements to pay your Cottage Contact your share of the expense.

ACCOMMODATIONS:  Each cottage is furnished with two or three bedrooms with two queen size beds in each bedroom. Linens, some towels, a living room, and a furnished kitchen with stove, refrigerator, and some pots and pans and utensils (including coffee maker and toaster).

WHAT TO BRING:  

Clothing:  Check the weather for Camden County, GA and bring clothes appropriate.  It can get pretty cool at night, especially for our Candlelight Peace Ritual at the Gate to the Base on New Year's Eve.

 Towels:  An extra towel or two is a good idea

Food:  We will have a community potluck dinner on Monday evening (6:30 p.m., Cottage #2 - O'Byrnes are bringing the turkey) and a community potluck dinner on Tuesday evening before the New Year's Eve ritual.  Please bring side dishes, casseroles, vegetables, etc. to share for these 2 meals.

 For breakfasts and lunches, coordinate with your Cottage-mates as to what each of you can bring for those meals in each of your cottages.

CANDLE HOLDER for Tuesday night Candlelight Peace Ritual at the Gate:  Cleaned-out gallon or half-gallon plastic milk container works well.  Simply cut off the bottom of the plastic jug, leaving the handle and screw cap in which to drip wax and hold the candle.  

LITERATURE or MERCHANDISE from your Peace Group:  We will have a table for these.

MUSIC, POETRY, READINGS:  Please bring your instruments, CD's and other creative offerings to share with the group on New Year's Eve. Bring a CD player if you need one, as they are not provided in the cottages.

SCHEDULE:

Monday, Dec 30th

3:00 - 5:00 P.M. - Stimson Gate -- signs and leafleting against nuclear weapons

4:00 P.M.  -  Check-in begins

Storytelling time: Listening to Movement Elders

6:30 P.M.  -  Community Pot Luck Dinner and Group Sharing -- Cottage #2

Tuesday, Dec 31st

Breakfast in Cottages

Various speakers and topics throughout the day - Times and Locations To Be Announced: 

•  John and Martina Linnehan -- The Great March for  Climate Action 
• Ann and Haven Whiteside -- Israel/Palestine Trip 
• Frank and Lucy Fuchs and Anne Richter -- El Salvador trip 
• Clare Hanrahan & Coleman Smith -- "From Atomic Appalachia to Kings Bay: Connecting the Nuclear Dots in the Southeast" 
• Sam Marshall --  How to exist In a world in  economic collapse--a discussion 
• Open Source Scheduling for Other Interests ( Sign up when you get there) 

6:00 P.M.  -  Community Pot Luck Dinner -- Cottage #2

7:30 P.M.  -  New Year's Eve Candlelight Peace Ritual at the Gate

 Wednesday, Jan 1st

Breakfast in Cottages

9:00 A.M.  -  Wrap-Up, Evaluation, Planning for Next Year's Gathering -- Cottage #2

11:00 A.M. -  Check out

 DIRECTIONS:  Crooked River State Park is located 7 miles north of St. Mary's, GA on Spur 40.  Go to http://www.gastateparks.org/CrookedRiver  for more details on all that is offered in this beautiful state park, located at 6222 Charlie Smith Sr. Highway, St. Marys, GA 31558.

1.  Take I-95, Exit 3

2.  Take Georgia State Highway 40 towards St. Mary's

3.  Turn left onto Kings Bay Road (This will take you to the intersection of Kings Bay Rd & Spur 40 where the Stimson Gate and our Monday leafleting will take place 3:00-5:00 p.m.)

4.  Turn left onto Spur 40.  Crooked River State Park is impossible to miss as Spur 40 ends right there.