Sound Bites:

• Community and Love, Glenda.
• Gourds, Gourd Art & Gourd Education, Janice.
• Unity, Curt.
• Healing the Earth & Uniting as a People, Shelia.
• Details and backup plans A, B, C and X, Y, Z, Tracey.
• Keeping Spirit in the Center, Chris.
• Resourcefulness, René.

CLARKE COUNTY, VA – Kidz Harvest Fest is a school-day event for public, private and home-schools designed by non-profits to help supplement Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) and offer hands on learning about Native American culture Friday, October 30 at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in Berryville, Va. 
    Save-the-date and initial registration information for faculty and teachers of 2nd and 4th grade students is available online at HarvestGathering.org under "Register."
     Space is limited for groups and available to the teachers and schools who register first.  Efforts are being made to accommodate as many schools and students as possible.
     “The Kidz Harvest Fest school-day event brings the experience of traveling through Native American humanities to life,” said The Gathering Executive Director René White (photo right). “After summer break when schools reopen, The Gathering web site will offer lesson plans and instructional resources to help teachers align their classroom instruction with the standards and complement studies taught about Virginia’s First People past and present.”
     The Gathering web site will offer downloadable “passports” that help teachers and students move through different modules at The Gathering.  
     Teachers will have the option to download passport material, photos, historical information and coloring book pages to help students get the most from this educational event.
    During the Kidz Harvest Fest, children will meet Virginia Indians, participate in gourd art, listen to Native American storytelling, hear Native American flutes played, dance to Native American drums, smell grains harvested by local farmers, see live horses & sheep and much more.

      Kidz Harvest Fest is part of The Gathering, “an education celebration of agri-culture” and is featured in the May 2015 Clarke County’s local newspaper The Observer.
     To obtain save-the-date and registration information or volunteer to be part of this event visit www.HarvestGathering.org or email [email protected] or call René Locklear White (Feather) at (540)554-8730.
      Virginia’s SOLs are expectations for student learning and achievement based on a curriculum framework that includes studying Native Americans through classes on writing, culture, history, social science, fine art, performing arts and agriculture etc.

Farm-To-Table Restaurant Preps
For "The Gathering"
by Merris Badcock

American Indian living legend to moderate the Harvest Gathering
By Victoria L. Kidd

Clarke County, Virginia – Local non-profits are offering internships to High School and College students in Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia the surrounding areas, help bring an “Educational Celebration of Agri-Culture” to the region. The event is called “The Gathering” and is expected to draw thousands of visitors and provide select-students hands on training and experience.
     Interns will gain hands on experience in leading and managing community outreach activities as well help develop background experience for resume and college applications.
     “The Gathering” showcases one school day Fri. Oct. 30 and two public days Sat. – Sun. Oct. 31-Nov. 1 with Native American Inter-Tribal Harvest Dance; the Virginia Gourd Festival; Living History Exhibitors; Uniformed Services Tribute; and Multicultural Thanksgiving at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in Berryville Va.    
     “Our volunteer internships are unpaid, but we help our interns create something good for their community and build strong content for their lives while having fun,” said René White retired military veteran and the event’s executive director.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: 
Each intern reports directly to the Executive Director and supports the Elders Council for “The Gathering” to promote, staff, coordinate and implement a variety of educational programs for the people of all ages in Clarke County, the Shenandoah Valley and Northern Virginia and beyond. Interns will learn to plan and implement special events, family oriented activities as well as assist with Summer and Fall programs and meet Native American icons. Spring, Summer and Fall Internships differ slightly based on scheduled programming and the students schedule.

SPECIAL JOB REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS:  Extremely flexible work schedule including early mornings, weekends, holidays and changes with less than 24 hours notice. Previous experience in the area applied for is stressed in the selection process however, it is not vital.
   Candidates applying for physical jobs that require heavy lifting must be able to able to lift 40 pounds and be able to handle physical demands required for preparing and building sets, displays, moving band equipment, hanging speakers, moving bleachers etc.
   Candidates applying for written communication positions must understand Windows based software including MS Word and MS PowerPoint.
   Understanding of social media i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc. is a bonus. Successful candidates must pass a reference check and telephone interview.

SPECIFIC DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES MAY INCLUDE:  
Providing quality family oriented activities and programs, or assisting with related Internship projects. Implementing and assisting with family oriented programs such as but not limited to art contests, documentary assistance, Native American harvest dance, gourd festival, book forum, concert series, art show & sale, movie premiers, marketing, event planning, event logistics, budget planning, supply purchase, money collection, records keeping, grant writing, updating web sites and attending meetings in

Areas of training interns can apply for include receiving training and instruction in:

Writing and editing, drafting articles, crafting captions, writing and applying grants and capturing oral histories.

Communications. Learn to Engage with businesses in to build lasting partnerships and sponsors in the community.

Protocol. Help coordinate a celebrity line up, including Native American recording artists, living legends and American icons. 

Marketing and Advertising. Work with non-profits to develop advertising campaigns, follow up on news releases and interact with news reporters & other media representatives.

Graphic Design.  Use computer and artistic skills to develop logos, designs and videos.

Film and Photography.  Document events that lead up to “The Gathering” for the Library of Congress and social media.

Hospitality.  Be part of friendly reception to greet, arrange lodging & logistics for VIPS news reporters and special guests.

Logistics.  Help install unique structures like a teepee, band equipment, lighting, carry heavy equipment and arrange electrical cables.

Learning Core Values. Experience, learn and apply faith, honor, gratitude, humility, respect, forgiveness and love.

Maintaining a Special Facebook Account. Share and promote how you and your school are making a positive impact in the community.

Getting Recognized. Students who contribute the most to “The Gathering” will receive memorable community service recognition.

person or on the phone, using email and social media, computer graphics, engineering, providing customer service, communications, answering phones, collecting survey information, documenting history, taking photos, creating graphics and escorting dignitaries. (Projects are mutually agreed upon.)

1937 rural arts exhibition held under the auspices of the Farm Security Administration (FSA) in the patio of the U.S. Department of Agriculture building. Baskets made from North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, and Indians; weaving; yarn from Tennessee  -  Library of Congress film copy on SIS roll 39, frame 18.

Call Number LC-USW316- 056306-B [P&P]
Source Collection Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection (Library of Congress)
Reproduction Number
LC-USW316-056306-B (b&w film neg.)

WINCHESTER, VA - One homeless man teared up in anticipation to be around Native American spiritual mentors at The Gathering this fall. One lady without a car remarked, she will find a way to get to The Gathering. Parents and teachers were thrilled about this educational celebration of agri-culture and a  number of people including college students and a photographer volunteered to join our team.
    The excitement is building! We passed out more than 400 flyers during Kidz Fest on the downtown walking mall in Winchester, Va. today.

    Special thanks to the Virginia Lovers' Gourd Society Janice Kiehl VLGS president for preparing 100 gourd shards for kids to make necklaces and for providing the VLGS tent.  Thanks to Jerome Mack Ogalala Sioux from South Dakota and Rene' Locklear White of Lumbee with the Sanctuary on the Trail(TM). And special thanks to Dario Savarese with Full Circle Marketing and The Old Town Winchester Development Board for inviting us.
    More about  The Gathering at Kidz Fest, HarvesGathering.org and VLGS.org.

    WINCHESTER, VA - Seeking dancers in regalia, especially youth to serve as Ambassadors for Indigenous peoples during an educational celebration of agri-CULTURE on the old mall in down town Winchester Virginia this Saturday, May 16 during Kidz Fest. Families are invited to participate in regalia with their children.
    Hundreds of families are expected to walk through the living history space to learn about Native American culture, The Gathering and gourds.
    The family-focused event features musical performances along with interactive activities for children of all ages. Rain or shine.

• Sign up via by calling 540-554-2201 or email [email protected]
  

• Get details about location of the living history booth "located in the Virginia Lovers' Gourd Society" and Sanctuary on the Trail tent
  
• Bring or show up in regalia between 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
• You do not have to stay the full day to support this important event.
  

   Those who participate will receive an Ambassador Package to attend “\The Harvest Gathering in Virginia Oct. 30 - Nov. 1. The package includes photos with American Icons, free admission, fry bread, three sister's stew and a great time.
    “To Native Americans and those who walk the Native way of life, by supporting community educational events like this you help inform non-Native American people that we are not just ‘a part of history, we are living history now,’” said René White (Feather) Lumbee and executive director for The Gathering.
    This is a non-profit event hosted by the Native American Church of Virginia a Sanctuary on the Trail™ and the Virginia Lovers' Gourd Society. Additional information available at: Kidz Fest, HarvesGathering.org and VLGS.org.