Thank you for surveying your local OSNicks, Michael.
When fabulous Bob Sullens asked the folks on the OSLIST who had preferences for what dates, the requests came in a great stream of requests on and off-list - and the pattern of those requests was mostly for summer - with folks reporting in from all sorts of countries - so that is what informed our choice. A good number of people who responded hoped that our decision would indeed be the summer so they could bring their families during school vacation time. We will of course as a world community put our resources together as we do each year, to help whoever has the courage and passion to ask for support find the means from diverse sources to join us next year. And you have been so generous in past years, Michael, helping this and other OS events with donations from the proceeds coming from the World Map, as well. Several of the Open Space Institutes have been incredibly helpful as well - and as Access Queen, on behalf of the Askers, I thank you all. (I have paid my renewal fee for the World Map and I encourage any of you out there who are on it to see if you have done so since May, which is the renewal date, as I understand it, for many of us. Michael, you can add Italy to the list of countries I have used OS in - thank you!) And everyone who is interested in coming to San Francisco next year for the WOSonOS: Access Queen will be joining with the creative thoughtful work of the rest of the Host Team, and others of you as well I am sure - to share some ideas coming months about how you all can think of raising some of your own funds from your various communities for your own or others' needs - about how to ask other organizations or individuals who may have funds - about other sources of support as well (think, my dear fellow OSLIST folks, about additional and diverse sources that may know of for funding and do share that with us on the OSLIST). I know the various Open Space Institutes are thinking, and many of you individuals also have creative ways each year you raise funds for yourself and others (for example, past years have seen OSTLIST members raise money from selling poetry, artwork or books, or donating a percentage of the money made from a project or two). The registration process will also help us find out who has needs and who has a little extra to share, and so on. And there are more things to share besides cash: homestays, buying a registration for two and giving it to an Asker, buying a hotel room for two and sharing with an Asker, ride shares, helping people who are applying for visas, helping support new travelers to our countries, and more. Each year we are collectively able to help a number of Askers get to OSonOS so I am excited about this same great community-supportive activity for the 2008 event. I am also glad that the WOSonOS keeps shifting back and forth across the world, so that people in different parts of the world are able to come if not one year, then perhaps the next - as we support Open Space (and each other) around the world. Lisa PS: Michael, I remember coming to Berlin in October 2000 (I think it was October) for the WOSonOS that year - it was a lovely time of year to visit Berlin. ___________________________ L i s a H e f t Consultant, Facilitator, Educator O p e n i n g S p a c e <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] <http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
