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Register using the form linked [here](https://cameroncarrick.notion.site/2d6c4bb05a6b83118a4401e888e99eea?pvs=105).
# What is Community Grief-Tending?
We find ourselves in times where our collective culture is grief averse, maybe even grief-phobic.
Yet one of the central promises we make at the moment of our birth into this world is to know and face death, decay, and dying.
Community Grief-Tending provides a space to explore and express our griefs in full-throated, embodied ways.
During our 2 days together, we will weave a shared space of song, poetry, embodied movement, and deep listening. By reaching for each other, we find the courage, notice what wants our loving attention, to keep our hearts open, and return to what matters most.
Our gatherings honor all forms of grief including losses, change and transitions, pain and wounding from our past, sorrows for our world (planetary, societal, racial, cultural), loss of village and belonging, ancestral grief, and anything else present. There is no grief too big or too small for our circles. Our griefs are interconnected, a part of our nature, and a brilliant part of our human technology for knowing what matters to us, what we love, and therefore what we mourn.
This weekend is inspired by the Dagara funeral rites stewarded by Malidoma & Sobonfu Somé as well as numerous other teachers such as Joanna Macy, Franciics Weller, Martin Prechtel, among many others living and dead.
You can read more about these events [[What is community grief tending|here]].
# Your Facilitators
**Cameron Carrick**
Cameron is a facilitator, community organizer, and poet. He sees community grief rituals as one (powerful) entry point into collective healing our times so desperately need. Born and raised in the desert of Central Oregon, he is now proud to call Vancouver Island home.
**Quetzo J. Herejk**
Quetzo is a community therapist by day, a wilderness soul guide by night, and an activist at heart. Born to european immigrants, they live in East Vancouver and consider tending grief to be one way of loving this world and co-shaping a future worth living in.
# Logistics
## Location
We are gathering at a farm in Black Creek, B.C., on lands of the Comox, Hamalco, and We Wei Kai First Nations, belonging ancestrally to the Pentlatch, E'iksan, Sathloot, Sasitla, K'omoks, Wei Wei Kum and We Wei Kai first peoples.
This is an outdoor, non-residential event. We may use indoor spaces as-needed for comfort depending on weather and temperatures.
We’ll be surrounded by mature fir and cedar trees, an alder grove, seasonal creek, and when indoors, we’ll be in the "Big Dome" for shelter.
The precise location and travel details will be provided upon completion of the registration.
## Accessibility
Most parking is a ~10 minute walk to our gathering site, though vehicle access to the door is available as-needed for drop offs.
We will be gathering and doing activities in a forested area requiring navigation over grass and some roots, though staying close to the packed driveways is possible.
## Times - July 11-12
**Saturday, July 11**: 9:30am to late evening (approximately 10pm, though could be later)
Please arrive between 9:00–9:15 am.
**Sunday, July 12**: 10am. to 5pm.
Please arrive between 9:30–9:45am.
## Lodging
This is a non-residential retreat. You will return to your own accommodations between days.
That said, there are a limited number of simple tent sites available at our venue for $35/night. There is no cooking allowed at these sites, so if camping, you will need to plan for your food needs in a bear-and-critter-aware, cold-prep manner.
# Payment & Registration
In an effort to balance sustainability and accessibility, this event is offered at four pricing tiers. You can read more about Cam’s pricing philosophy here.
We are committed to reciprocity. A portion of revenue for this event will cycle back into community projects, like the Dagara Well Water project or local land-based initiatives.
**Tier 1 - Community-supported - $225**
For those for whom money is currently a barrier. Choose this if a higher tier would keep you from coming.
**Tier 2 - At-cost - $355**
Covers your share of the actual expenses to make this retreat happen.
**Tier 3 - Sustainer - $500**
Pays your way and contributes toward holding a seat for someone who couldn't otherwise attend.
**Tier 4 - Benefactor - $625+**
Redistributes resources so this work stays accessible; your contribution enables multiple community-supported spots.
>[!Note:]
>Our aim is for no one to be turned away from grief ceremony due to lack of funds.
>
>We are very open to your creative offerings and solutions.
>
>Please contact [Cam](mailto:
[email protected]) or Quetzo to discuss.
# Refunds & Cancellation
**We’ve moved to a No Refunds policy.**
We’ve found that this has been helpful in building group cohesion and courage, and ensuring that the ritual will happen! It’s normal for life and/or some version of fear to kick up beforehand, but we secure our venues and facilitators based on our group registration and just can’t pivot last minute. Committing to the ceremony of grieving in community is a collective gesture. The financial end of making them happen is a collective process too.
If you are not able to attend for whatever reason after registering, you are welcome to find someone else to take your spot. The person who replaces you must also register and needs to be connected with our registration team at least 5 days before the retreat. In the 5 days leading up to the retreat, our attention shifts away from admin tasks and screen time to prepping for our in-person time.