ATTENTION Men of the MKP Northwest Center!

Silver Falls 2012 for ManKind Project Northwest

A retreat to set direction for our center’s future this coming July 13-15, 2012, at Silver Falls State Park in Oregon

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Friday July 13 (evening) through Sunday July 15 (1pm)

Change is afoot with the Northwest Center – and with MKP USA.  You have likely seen communications on the various distribution lists – or perhaps you’ve been watching our blog on mkpnw.org.  Maybe you attended a community meeting in your area – or have heard about things through your I-Group, or other sources?

The Board of Trustees invites you with the intention to engage all NW communities and members in a discussion about the future of our center – and what we – YOU – need to do to successfully manage our center for the short-term and long-term.

If you have passion for

• Better supporting your community
• Getting involved in a sustainable structure for the delivery of NWTAs
• Supporting the next generation of new warriors
• PITs, I-Groups, and other MKP trainings
• Sharing your unique skills to help this center grow and thrive

the time is NOW for you to join your brothers in circle – and engage in being the change you want to see – and setting the direction as a center.
The next man needs you.  THIS IS YOUR CALL TO ACTION!

This will be an outdoor camping event at Silver Falls State Park, outside of Salem, Oregon.

Contact:  John Richards, johnabbottrichards@gmail.com, (520) 631-8324

Additional logistical info coming soon on NW-Info and at MKPNW.org

Download a PDF flyer for this event to share with other MKP men and your I Group. Estimated price for registration is currently estimated at $65 to cover rental of meeting areas and food.

After each successful NWTA, local communities often hold a “welcome home celebration” to gather and congratulate new men on their return. This is an opportunity to meet new men and their families, as well as just to gather and enjoy one another’s company. Information on Welcome Home events to follow the coming May 2012 NWTA are

• Ashland
• Central Oregon 22 May, as detailed in this PDF file.
• Willamette Valley 26 May, as detailed in this PDF file.
• Portland 7pm Fri 25 May, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, as detailed in this PDF file.
• Puget Sound

Men were asked at various community meetings this spring to volunteer for five key “task force” areas that seem crucial to our ability to put on sustainable NWTA trainings going forward, to better build our local communities and regional center. These task-force areas included

• Fundraising and scholarship
• Outreach and community service
• Celebrations and welcome homes
• PIT integration of new brothers
• Ongoing Integration Group health

In anticipation of our regional gathering in July, five online “Google Groups” have been created and men from different communities invited to join those, to begin sharing ideas and best practices among yourselves. There shall also be an opportunity for each of these task forces to meet physically at the July gathering.

If you are interested in being part of such a task force in your area, or have not received your invitation as expected, please sign up online. Thank you, men, for your service.

Men:

As President of the Board of Trustees and interim Center Director, I am writing to inform all men of the Northwest Center that on April 18th, 2012 Chairman of MKPUSA, Mike Elser, announced effective immediately:  All STAFF/MOS, Initiates and brother dancers who choose to go into the brother dance sweat are required to carry Medical Insurance to participate in any New Warrior Training Adventure.

So, that is the bombshell.  I’m sure you all have many questions.  I will do my best to answer them here and as they come in.

1.  Where did this come from?

This is not actually a new policy.  Insurance has always been required, however, we were just not enforcing it.  In the past we relied on the statement in the Participation and Release Form below:

9.  Health and Liability Insurance.  I confirm that I have adequate health and/or other insurance to cover any injury or damage I may cause or suffer while participating in the Activities, or that I am financially able and agree to bear the costs of such injury or damage to myself, property, or others.

MKPUSA currently believes that this statement will not hold up in court.  And, individually and collectively, we become liable should someone incur medical expense during an NWTA.  This exact scenario has occurred and MKP USA has settled.  We as an organization have been very lucky that the cases have been few and the dollar amounts have not been great.  They could be catastrophic.

2.  What is MKP USA doing to help with the situation?

MKP USA is working to find EVENT COVERAGE for all NWTAs.  This is an insurance that would cover medical/injuries for all participants on an NWTA (Both staff and participants).   It is unlikely that they will have this in place prior to our May NWTA.  I do not know how long it will take for MKPUSA to resolve this situation and we must deal with current reality.

3.  What can you do now if you do not have insurance and you want to staff or invite a friend to the weekend that does not have insurance?

You can obtain Short Term Health Insurance.  This is fairly easily obtained.  It does not cover nor even ask about pre-existing conditions.  It is one month coverage insurance and typically has high deductibles.  It would cover you after the deductable was met for big injuries.  You can find this coverage at  https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/short-term-health-insurance

4.  How much does this insurance cost?

Depends on how you respond to the questions asked and the deductible chosen.  The higher deductible the lower the policy cost.  The key factor is finding a policy that has up to $250,000 coverage.

I am sad to be the messenger of this information.  It was not easy for me to digest.   I am here to answer questions and to seek collaboration.  If there are any insurance men reading this, I would welcome your advice.  I believe that together, with full awareness of the emotions stirred, that together we will meet this challenge and bring our best selves forward to continue to thrive as men and as a service to our communities.

NOW, for men who are on staff/MOS for May, the Northwest Center Board of Trustees has decided our Center will reimburse you for the cost of your short-term policy.  This of course, depends on your decision to participate. We anticipate this additional cost to the Center at around $1,500.  Concerning Initiates, David Fen and I will be contacting men and letting them know of this policy change.  We will offer them the same option of getting a short-term policy should they choose and the Northwest Center will deduct that amount from the initiate fees we pay MKPUSA.

BROTHER DANCERS, for this May 2012 NWTA only,  I am deeply saddened to say that we have chosen to cancel the brother dancer sweat.  Adding more chaos of who can and can’t sweat will not serve any of us.  Brother dancers are more than welcome to spend the night and have breakfast with staff in the morning.  This practice has not changed.  In leu of the sweat, I would invite brother dancers to come at the normal time with the intention of circling up and checking in before joining the staff container.
Thank you for your continued support and patience.

Nelson Oostenink
President of BOT
(541) 531-3374

A few times each year, local members of the ManKind Project will offer a free, one-day workshop called “A Circle of Men,” designed as an introduction to the sorts of things that take place on a New Warrior Training Adventure, so men who are considering the NWTA can see if it might be a good fit for them. In advance of the NWTA on May 18-20, 2012, there will be three Circle of Men workshops across the region, including:

1. Saturday, 14 April 2012 in Bend, as detailed in this PDF file.
2. Saturday, 21 April 2012 in Seattle, as detailed in this PDF file.
3. Sunday, 22 April 2012 in Portland, as detailed in this PDF file.

The NWTA is not for everyone, but if you think it might be for you or a brother, we’ll hope to see you at one of these events!

There are two upcoming events I’d like to let you know about. The first is:

A Circle of Men: A Free 1-Day Experiential Workshop
Sun Apr 22, 9am to 4pm
1125 SE Madison St (office space near Madison’s Grill)
Portland, OR

This is a free experiential workshop where  men get introduced to half-a-dozen or so of processes used in men’s work, the goal of which is for a man to learn something new and profound about himself and who he is in the world. This is a rare opportunity to dig in deep. Check out the Meetup Group for more details.

Next is we’re expanding the number of opportunities for men to sit in an Open Circle in SE Woodstock on the second Tuesday of each month, from 7pm to 9pm. These are circles of 8 to 12 men get an opportunity to share what’s authentic and true about themselves. What’s holding you back? What’s tripping you up? Who is that man you know yourself to be, and want to access more of?

This circle is in SE Woodstock, right next to Alive MMA. Here is more info on the Meetup Group.

As with all our events, they are non-denominational and are open to ALL men; each and every man has a gift to share with his brothers.

The NW MKP Elder Council hopes you’ll join them and 135 kindred spirit elders for a memory-making Oregon Beach Paradise Men’s Gathering at Camp Westwind, Lincoln City, June 22-24, 2012.

The special reduced fee registration ends April 15th and you’ll be entered into the drawing for an art assemblage.

The PDF invitation is attached along with an online visual virtual tour of Camp Westwind at

https://picasaweb.google.com/philanthropynow/WestwindInviteTour02?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXn0f__l9Docg#slideshow/5724111263695244866

Who are the men that you’d like to hang out with in Paradise?  Feel free to forward this email, PDF and url to them.

Looking forward to being with you in nature on the coast. The email address for registration form is in the attached PDFs

• MKPNW 2012 Elder Retreat Flyer in PDF format
• MKPNW 2012 Elder Retreat Registration Form in PDF format
• MKPNW 2012 Elder Retreat Release Form in PDF format

Charles Maclean, Co-Chair, (503) 297-1490

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise.   Seek what they sought.

–  Basho

Listen

“Stand still.
The trees ahead and the bushes beside you are not lost.
Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen.”

An old Native American elder story rendered into modern English by David Wagoner, from The Heart Aroused – Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America by David Whyte, Currency Doubleday, New York, 1996.

The board of trustees has recently decided to institute a hiring freeze and cancel the August NWTA, with board president Nelson Oostenink explaining the context for this decision and our perceived need to involve the membership more directly. Toward this we have scheduled several community meetings, some of which have passed and some of which are forthcoming as the beginning of a larger conversation and formation of a new “community congress” in keeping with our revised bylaws. The dates for these first meetings are

• Puget Sound 7-9pm Mon 16 April @ Stanley Sabre’s home, Beacon Hill.
• Central Oregon 6:30pm, Tue 3 April 2012 @ Ted Fowler’s home, Bend.
• Portland 6pm, Mon 19 March 2012 @ WHUUF, 8470 SW Oleson Rd, Portland, OR 97223
• Willamette Valley, evening of 7 or 14 April 2012, location TBD in Corvallis.
• Southern Oregon, Fri 30 March, location TBD in Ashland.

There will be at least one trustee at each and every one of these meetings, and probably a “phone bridge” or two scheduled for outlying brothers and others who cannot attend. At these meetings we will be asking men to consider what they want for themselves, MKP and their local communities. We’ll also be seeking local men in each community to form teams of at least three to help with key tasks related to putting on NWTA’s, specifically

• Scholarship and fundraising to support men who wish to attend an NWTA
• Outreach and enrollment events such as Circles of Men, community service, etc
• Welcome home events and other celebrations in local communities
• Primary integration trainings for men who complete an NWTA
• Ongoing I-Group health and support after the NWTA

If you have not already done so, please subscribe to the Mailman lists “NW-Talk” and “NW-Info.” Integration group leaders and other local brothers should be able to assist you with this.

Brothers new and old,

I want to add some more context to the discussions starting to unfold as the result of the announcement put out by the new Board of Trustees that the August NWTA has been cancelled and we can no longer continue to do business as usual.

First, I would like to share with you men that I went through the training in February of 1997.  Our Northwest Center was just really getting organized at that time.  Men like Moens Gilmore, Bill Elbring, Tim Barraud, Tim Mannox, Bill Barrish, Steven Smith, Ron Silver, Steve Newcomb, Steven Tracy and many others were doing what ever it took to put on a weekend.  Men were stepping up not knowing what they had said yes too, much like the challenging Sensei question where your told if you knock on that door your life will never be the same.  I am so grateful for all those men who stepped up so that I could walk through that door!

The men’s movement was enjoying a surge of energy with men such as Robert Bly and Michael Meade naming just a few, speaking out about the need for men to  do their inner personal work.  Enrollment was increasing and soon we were doing four NWTAs per year.  We had a Center Director and Center Administer and they were coordinating all the logistics.  Small stipends were beginning to be paid to help these men stay focused with all the details which kept increasing with the increased enrollment.  By this time the NW Center had become its own 501c non-profit organization and each year signed a covenant with MKPI as to how they would operate with regards to the NWTAs and other advanced training’s.  Also, important to remember that our NW Center was not a typical Center.  Most Centers were geographically one state or large city.  The NW Center was all of Washington and Oregon which was huge.  There was a time when our NW Center almost split and became two Centers.  Our Oregon state 501c bylaws created a governing council made up, out of the membership to steward our Center.  Soon we had a council made up of representatives from leaderbody, elders. LKS, I-group chair, communications, PIT chair, training coordinator, out of area coordinator, community reps and shadow chair.  There was a period of several years where this council functioned pretty well and our Center was actually able to put away some rainy day funds called a reserve fund.  The idea being to protect ourselves from having a couple of poorly attended NWTAs and still needing to pay all the expenses associated with leader fees, camp rental, etc.

Already the signs of burn out where starting to show with the Center Director and Center Administer.  These men were being asked to do a lot.  I served on the Council for five years during this early period as I-group Coordinator and Elder Chair and was to close to the details to really question clearly the burn out I was seeing.  Men like Stephen Smith, Bob Dyer, Steven Mankle, Michael Vollopi to name a few.  I have learned that these positions are thankless jobs.  There is no amount time that is enough to get the job done.  A job description is almost meaningless and to this day we continue to be OK with this model.  That is why I say this is not about fixing the X’s and O’s, it’s really about how we as men who value this work want to participate locally and Center wide to help share the load and provide this experience to other men.  Making tough decisions about budget items are the X’s and O’s and we as men love to fix X’S and O’s.  The bigger question is how to we want to move forward in this incredibly changing world right now?  There are many views of the world paradigm, what will work and what won’t?  I hold to the belief that it’s going to take both and, not either or.

So, starting in 2010 a few men on the NW Council began brain storming a different model or structure for the governance of our Center.  Largely because the Council had grown to the point of being inefficent.  Council members were not performing at a high level and many important decisions were getting kicked down the road.  Finally, a new governing structure which consisted of a seven man Board of Trustees, a CD hired by the Board and a Community Congress was passed and adopted by the existing Council.  By, October of 2011 the new board had been chosen and was to begin on January 1, 2012.  The old Council ceased to exist on January 1, 2012.  Unfortunately, the Community Congress was not seeded by the old Council and the new board has been left with no way to effectively communicate.  We know that trying to communicate by the different list serves is poor at best.  Not wanting to make decisions in a vacuum the Board has decided to take a major time out and get your attention.  No decision we make as a Board right now will make any bloody sense without your input!  And, we are very clear we don’t have the answers.  The answers are held in the larger wisdom of our membership.  That is why we need you to come out and participate in your local community meetings if this is something you value in your life.

As many of you know from the MKPNW.org website and NW-Info email lists, the Board of Trustees has decided to leave the positions of Center Director and Center Administrator vacant and to cancel the NWTA previously scheduled for August so that we can evaluate our position and direction as a center. The northwest center has been operating at a loss for several years now: We need to stop the bleeding and figure out a more sustainable way forward. Toward this end we are holding several community meetings.

Community meetings are scheduled across the center over the next few weeks. There was a Willamette Vallye meeting in early March, and Portland held a meeting on March 20. There is an Ashland meeting scheduled for March 30 and a Bend meeting scheduled for April 3. A Seattle meeting has not yet been scheduled, but should be announced shortly. We hope that you will be able to attend one of these, and a general phone bridge may be scheduled for mid-April.

There are three main things we hope to accomplish at each of these community meetings. First, we want men to understand that our past model of paid staff is not economically sustainable in the current economic climate. Second, we want men to think about what they want within their local communities that does not require central administration. Third, we want men in each local community to step forward and identify more ways that local communities can do work previously delegated to paid staff in a healthier and more sustainable way.

The board of trustees has identified five main ways that men in the local communities can support the NWTA and we are seeking at least three men from each community to step into key roles of (1) fundraising for scholarship, (2) outreach toward NWTA enrollment, (3) welcome home and other celebrations, (4) post-NWTA integration training and (5) ongoing I-Group health and maintenance. There are doubtless other ways that men will want to step up and take part at the local level, but these five areas have been identified as crucial to MKPNW continuing to put on NWTA trainings without paid staff.

If you value the role MKP has played in your life and continued support for NWTA trainings, please speak with your brothers about this issue and plan to attend a meeting in your area. Our past models have not worked and, in the words of a famous Tina Turner song, “we don’t need another hero: Out of the wreckage, we can’t make the same mistake this time.”

For the latest information on center news, please visit the main web page at http://MKPNW.org or subscribe to the elist “NW-Info.” Those who wish to discuss these issues center-wide are invited to take part in “NW-Talk” as well.

In service,
Nelson Oostenink, President
MKPNW Board of Trustees