Conception
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Conception

In 2000, Shurvon attended a spiritual retreat at Camp Indianola, WA with her sponsor at the time and had a very profound experience. The camp itself had a unique feeling for her and Shurvon truly learned that our 12 step program is about the language of the heart. The 70 plus members on that retreat did not look like her and for a time Shurvon ‘almost’ allowed that block her spiritual experience. Shurvon came back to her home group and shared her experience and the following year a few members and Shurvon went back, to this yearly retreat. The next year, Barbara T joined them at the urging of her husband Phil T. (Barbara shared with Shurvon that she had not wanted to come, but Phil encouraged her to try it). While on the retreat Barbara became an instant favorite with the group by singing a song at the break and saying the prayer at mealtime. On another break, Barbara came to Shurvon and they started to talk…just talk. Shurvon had never spent this type of one on one time with Barbara and was struck at her ability to make her feel important and ‘capable’. Shurvon wanted to know if Barbara was enjoying herself and Barbara looked around the campsite and said to Shurvon “We should have something like this for “OUR COMMUNITY” Part of Shurvon at that moment thought…. I don’t know if we could do something this big…but her mouth said ‘Yes’ we should! That was ALL Barbara needed. She later told her that whenever she had an idea, she just needed someone else to say yes to it and then let it take shape.

barbarat

Barbara T.

So in true Barbara fashion, she went to the Camp office and got the basic information on reserving the space. After returning home from the weekend retreat, Barbara followed through gathering all the information to get started. Barbara set up a meeting with Shurvon to talk about the basic format and advertising the retreat. Shurvon’s job was to build excitement and check the interest level by scheduling our first committee meeting at the 1504 Club. Shurvon didn’t remember exactly who attended the very first meeting, but Shurvon does remember it was a fairly small group. They brainstormed names for the retreat, a date and a basic agenda. Barbara did not believe in having too rigid a schedule at the time, as she believed it would pretty much be guided by GOD. Barbara did all the Camp coordination and the announcement printing. Shurvon was the treasurer and part of the advertising committee!

The excitement was building as it got closer to the date for a few reasons; this had not been done in our community before (as far as they knew), women were excited to be a part of this first-time experience, and some were just plain curious. It was decided that most of us would meet at Cherry Hall and carpool or caravan down to the ferry dock. We gathered in a circle at Cherry Hall, said a traveling prayer, took pictures, and off we went to the very first Best Retreat Ever in 2003!

Shurvon will never forget Barbara, at the very moment when she said… we should have something like this in our community. Those words and that vision started us out with 42 women in 2003 and in 2011 we counted 127 women. Barbara had once said that Nature saw us filling up an auditorium and she believed that if this retreat was of GOD, then it would take on a life of its own!

Remembering Barbara T.

"Barbara passed away, April 19th 2009, after a long and valiant struggle with cancer. Barbara was a loving wife, a patient and wise parent, a dear friend and source of support for all who knew her. To all who knew her she was a woman of strong faith and endless optimism. It was rare to see her without a smile, and that smile could light the hearts of all who witnessed it. A kind and accepting woman, she was not one to judge, but met those who knew her where they were. She was an inspiration of growth, tolerance, kindness and peace.