@ Lake Cushman

What is a “members retreat”?

This is a weekend-long event (Saturday–Monday of the holiday weekend) held away from Seattle, just for Rain Country members and their guests.  It will have some opportunities for dancing and dance lessons, but it is mostly an opportunity for our members to get away and get to know each other better.

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How many people will attend?

In the past, we have had 8–10 people attend  Most people will stay at the site (a large vacation home on Lake Cushman), but some may stay at nearby campgrounds or hotels and join us for the evenings and some meals.

The dance site has beds for 15, and we can host a few more on pads on the floor.

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Do I have to be a member of Rain Country to attend?

No, but if not, you need to be the guest of a member who is attending.  For information on joining Rain Country, click here.

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Is this a charity event?

This event is not intended as a fundraising event.  Any profits from the event will go to Rain Country’s general fund, and an honorarium will be paid to the owner of the vacation home we are using.

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How can I help out?

Everyone staying at the house or having meals there will be asked to pitch in and volunteer some time to make the event run.  Please let us know which of these we can depend on you for:

• People to transport materials and food to the site
• Food prep and cooking
  
• Meal cleanup
• Laundry
• Site cleanup at end of the weekend

Most of all, though, you can register for the Members Retreat.  The more who attend, the more fun the weekend will be for all of us.

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Can I register online and pay by credit card?

Rain Country allows you to register online via PayPal, using your PayPal account balance or by credit card.

You can download a registration form (PDF), print it, and send it in with a check.  The event pricing is included on the form.  (Click here for help with Adobe Acrobat and PDF files.)

As soon as we process your registration, we will send a confirmation letter or e-mail.

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Where is the retreat being held?

Our dance site is a large vacation home at the north end of Lake Cushman, on the Olympic Peninsula near Hoodsport, WA.  The house is a 2.5 to 3 hour drive from Seattle, depending on the route you take and just where you are coming from.

The house has beds to sleep 15 (four are double-beds or futons that sleep two — sharing will be expected — and the others are singles or bunks).  It also has a large living room upstairs and den (with the futons) downstairs, a large wood-floor dining room (which will be our dance floor), and and activity area/garage, plus a kitchen and two bathrooms.

The house is down a private gravel drive in the forest, away from other homes and buildings.  It has a large parking area plus an RV garage.  There are two outdoor decks, and the house overlooks a beaver pond.

Being in the forest, there is wildlife around, especially deer and raccoons.  Dogs are welcome at the event, so long as they don’t chase the wildlife.

The dining room has a large wooden floor which we can turn into a dance floor by moving the furniture.  The dance floor will be about 20’x20’ – abut the size of the Cuff’s floor between the posts.  The evening dance times can accommodate up to 25 people.

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What is the event schedule?

The Members Retreat will be held Saturday–Monday, September 3–5 (Labor Day weekend).  No need to miss Friday night dancing!

Saturday schedule will be:

• Late afternoon: Arrival and outdoor activities
• Early evening: Dinner, dessert, and beverages
• Evening: Ad hoc dancing/dance lessons, movies, and games

Sunday schedule will be:

• Morning: Breakfast and other relaxation
• Noon: Lunch
• Afternoon: Outdoor activities or ad hoc dance workshops
• Early evening: Dinner, dessert, and beverages
• Evening: Ad hoc dancing/dance lessons, movies, and games

Monday schedule will be:

• Morning: Breakfast and other relaxation
• Noon: Lunch
• Early afternoon: Outdoor activities or ad hoc dance workshops
• Mid afternoon: Departure

Specifics about meal times, menus, etc. remain to be determined.

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Can I attend just some of the events?

Yes.

If you want to stay at the dance site, price is $60 for the two nights, all meals, and the dances.  Assuming that we fill up, there will not be an opiton for only one night staying at the house, but check in with us the week before the event to be sure.

If you want to camp or stay at a hotel, but join us for meals, that can be done, too.  Pricing is $40 for both days (6 meals), or $20 for just one day (3 meals / dinner, breakfast, and lunch), and includes the dances.

If you want to camp out at Lake Cushman or stay at a hotel, and deal with your own meals, you are welcome to join us for just the dances.  Please make a small donation on-site.  (Let us know if you’re going to take this option, and we’ll e-mail the directions to you.)

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Will there be dance workshops?

We are not scheduling specific dance workshops, although we will probably put something together for each night based on who is there and wants to dance what stuff.  The dance space and sound system will be available for dancing at any time except meals.  So we can teach and review line dances, get some coaching on dance styles, or just practice with a partner.  It’s all ad hoc, do as you want to.

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Where else can I stay?

There are several campgrounds and a state park within about 20 minutes of the dance site, and hotels in the 20-30 minute radius.

Note: Lake Cushman is a popular destination at Labor Day, so camp grounds and hotels may fill up quickly.  Make your reservations ASAP!

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What other activities and entertainment will there be?

The afternoons are being left completely open.  Feel free to hang around the house, or go to the lake (3/4 mile walk), or enjoy other outdoor activities in the region such as hiking.

In addition to the dance floor, the house has a ping pong table, a snooker table, an assortment of card and board games, and a pair of entertainment centers.  We can bring a movies on DVD with us, and there are some at the house.

(But no horror films!  Big house in the woods, at night, with a lake and pond nearby, collection of friends: we know how those plots go, right?)

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What will the weather be like?

There should be super weather that time of year at Lake Cushman.  But we all know how that can actually be in the Pacific Northwest.  It will be near the end of summer, and the elevation is higher than in Seattle, so be sure to bring a jacket for when it turns chilly.

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How do I get there from Seattle?

Maps and driving directions will be mailed and e-mailed to those who register.

Here is the general area:

View Larger Map

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Are carpools available?

We strongly encourage carpooling. Between the distance and time for the trip, the cost of gas, and limits on parking at the dance site, it only makes sense.

Do you need a ride, or want to offer one?  Let us know, and we’ll put people in contact with one another.

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