Laura-- I think that the advice you have received from Jeff, Michael, Michelle, Susan, Ann is good.
My feeling is to keep faith with those who agreed to come, accept others at the last minute if they appear (I don't know what the social norms are in your country about responding to an RSVP--is it common for people to come at the last minute?). I think that this group, not Planet, will be the true planning team for an eventual larger meeting. They will represent a few organizations or communities, not just one, and a later invitation will be issued by a wider community, not just one group. That makes it clear that this is a community concern, not the agenda of one organization. I have in the past had good success with inviting people from a number of community groups and asking their help in planning an appropriate event and involving others. One of my clients, a nonprofit agency that provides services to foster children, invited 100 people to a one-day Open Space event. They expected 100 people to come, which I thought was unrealistic. 35 or 40 people came, and every one of them wanted to help in some way. The ideas and support which that one-day meeting generated made it possible for the agency to begin 3 new programs focused on needs formerly not met. It really does seem to be true that whoever comes are the right people. Maybe one of those right people would suggest a session to explore why the idea did not generate a larger response. Maybe the concepts you are dealing with are just not well known. I suspect that you may have to build more interest in the community, work through existing organizations and networks. Your dream of a very large meeting to share and explore may come true in the future--it is common for visionary people to have a dream that is just a little ahead of its time. All my best wishes to you and your work. Joelle Everett * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html =========================================================== osl...@egroups.com To subscribe, 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign up -- provide an email address, and choose a login ID and password 3. Click on "Subscribe" and follow the instructions To unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@egroups.com: 1. Visit: http://www.egroups.com/group/oslist 2. Sign in and Proceed
