Shadbush Announces Location of Camp, Logistics, and Schedule. Camp Registration is Live
Location, Location, Location
The Shadbush Collective is excited to announce the site of this fall’s Shalefield Justice Action Camp. The camp will be the Henry Farm in Bessemer, Pennsylvania. Maggie Henry has raised eggs, poultry, and pork on her farm in Bessemer, PA for the past 10 years. Before that, her husband Dale ran the family dairy operation that was passed down to him from his father and grandfather. Now oil giant Shell is constructing a fracking well on a neighboring property; one of the company’s first unconventional gas wells in the region.
Maggie’s farm sits above an old oil and gas field known as the Bessemer Oil Pool, which contains hundreds of unplugged abandoned oil wells, many of which cannot be located. At least 9 abandoned wells sit under Maggie’s property. Highly explosive methane gas has been known to leak from Marcellus wells into old abandoned wells and up to the surface. Early this summer, residents in Union Township in Tioga County were forced to evacuate their homes because of a major methane leak caused by Shell’s fracking operations in the area.
The Shadbush Collective is excited to be working with Maggie to host the camp on her family’s farm. We hope the camp can help shine a spotlight on Shell’s reckless drilling in the area and lead to future action to resist drilling at that site. Read more about Maggie’s struggle at http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/shaky-ground-farmer-fears-for-future-as-gas-drilling-begins-near-scores-of-abandoned-well-sites/Content?oid=1567222
Logistics
The camp is in early November so if you plan on camping remember that it will likely be pretty cold so prepare accordingly. There is plenty of space to camp and plenty of floor space inside the farmhouse to sleep. The house is heated and there is electricity. There is also Internet access and strong cell phone reception.
Unfortunately because of fracking activity in the area there is a shortage of running water. There is plenty of clean drinking water but showers will not be available at the camp. Also the only restrooms available will be outhouses.
If you have any other specific needs that we may be able to help you with, please don’t hesitate to share them on your registration forms or e-mail us at info@shadbushcollective.com and we’ll do everything we can to help accommodate your needs.
Childcare may be available, so if you plan to bring young children please indicate that on your registration form (no later than the beginning of November) so we can make appropriate arrangements.
Consistent with our Points of Unity, the Shadbush Collective is committed to anti-oppression in the work that we do and we’re committed to maintain a safe space for everyone to fully participate in the Shalefield Justice Action Camp. Oppressive behaviors will not be tolerated at the camp and collective members and camp volunteers will be available to help address any concerns that arise.
Further logistical details and a list of what to bring (and what not to bring) are available on the Shadbush Collective website at http://shadbushcollective.org/logistics-and-what-to-bring/ Schedule
We are working hard to pull together three days of great programing. Because the camp falls on a holiday weekend—Veteran’s Day—the camp runs Saturday, November 10 to Monday, November 12. Check-in and registration starts at 11am on Saturday, November 10th with the camp officially kicking off at 1pm on Saturday. The camp will wrap up and we should be ready to head home by 3:30 on Monday, November 12th.
The action camp is organized into two primary tracks–one focusing on direct action skills and tactics, the other focusing on organizing, issue education, and movement building. During each workshop session there will be at least one workshop going on in each track. You don’t need to stick with just one of the tracks, feel free to bounce back and forth between the action track and the organizing and education track throughout the weekend. A full listing of workshops in each session will be available online at http://shadbushcollective.org/schedule/
If you’re only able to make it out for part of the camp you should think about coming out on Sunday afternoon/evening. We’ll be having a big, delicious dinner followed by some inspiring stories and activities, musical entertainment, and some fun networking time.
Registration!
Registration for the 2012 Shalefield Justice Action Camp is LIVE! Visit http://shadbushcollective.org/action-camp/register/ to register for the camp. We are asking everyone to register so we can have a good idea of how much food and sleeping space we’ll need. Please make sure to indicate any special needs on your registration form!
http://shadbushcollective.org/shalefield-justice-action-camp-updates/
