V.I.P. WEEKENDS by Mark Hoffman and Bill Wilson Last year in Stelle a popular community-based activity was born: Visitors’ Information and Participation Workday Weekend — VIP Weekend for short. This activity was designed to bring visitors and Stelle residents together in work and play. VIP Weekend provides a functional structure for channeling the varied and dynamic energies present in the Stelle Community. The pleasing success of the VIP Weekend is largely due to the opportunity it provides individuals to experience the l3rotherhoods’ philosophy in a relaxed, supportive environment and gain firsthand knowledge of what living in Stelle is all about. Residents also participate to help build the community, to work with their friends, and to meet new people. All finish the weekend feeling good about what they have accomplished and shared. This feeling, through which a positive community spirit continues to grow, is one of the most valuable aspects of the VIP Weekends. By appearances, Stelle is a quiet suburb amidst the cornfields of Illinois, but under the surface lies a strong common bond inspired by a matchless philosophy. Cooperative endeavors such as VIP Weekends allow this bond to grow and expand outside of the community. Visitors and residents alike realize this. It is exciting to share knowledge of what living in Stelle is actually like, to contribute to Stelle’s growth and to build etheric patterns for even greater works in the future. The weekend begins on Saturday morning about 9:00 when participants gather with their project managers to form work parties. New visitors are offered a tour of Stelle during which they can ask any questions they have. The workday is six hours, three in the morning and three in the afternoon; participants engage in ongoing community projects such as: weeding the community park, painting the Early Learning Center, paving Stelle’s entryway, stocking the shelves in the Cooperative Food Mart, and preparing meals for the work parties. Activities may be indoors or outdoors depending on the weather, but all are designed to bring individuals together to simultaneously work and socialize-Delightful group meals are served: Saturday and Sunday lunches and a Saturday night feast. After this feast comes the family fun hour, which has become a favorite for many. Visitors retire to the homes of Stelle hosts. Following a Sunday morning breakfast with their hosts, visitors may audit the Lemurian Philosophy Seminar classes. There is also an informative and informal discussion class open to both visitors and residents which follows Sunday brunch. Various topics such as holistic health care and different world cultures are discussed. This class concludes the weekend’s planned activities but visitors are encouraged to visit Stelle any time. VIP Weekend is scheduled the third weekend of every month. For more information about VIP Weekends, please write or call Renee Trenda, VIP Weekend Coordinator, Stelle, IL 60919, (815) 256-2224. Come join us. There’s work to be done in fellowship. ∆
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