We’re a pretty satisfied bunch, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t covetous. Sometimes we see things out there that we just must have. Cool Things We Want is an archive of those earthly desires.
This Spring, the community-minded, book-loving folks at Upstart & Crow, along with Hollyhock retreat centre, have conspired to create the Climate Readers’ Retreat. Set on Hollyhock’s idyllic Cortes Island property, the Retreat brings together “people with a passion for climate and democracy to work through ideas and solutions for their communities”. Consider us in.
From Wednesday, May 21st through Sunday, May 25th, Hollyhock will be hosting local award-winning author/journalist John Vaillant (Fire Weather: On the Front Lines of a Burning World) and Upstart & Crow Literary Arts Studio co-founders Zoe Grams (strategist; founder of the B-Corporation communications agency Zg Stories and Ian Gill (also an environmental journalist and conservationist), for five days of in-depth and intimate group talks, workshops, strategizing, writing, collaborative activities, individual refection, and more. Although the finalized schedule for the Retreat won’t come together until mid-April, you can check out a tentative single-day structure here for a better idea of what to expect.
When it comes down to spelling out why the Climate Readers’ Retreat is so rad, Grams puts it best: “I know so many deeply thoughtful, dedicated colleagues and loved ones who feel overwhelmed or rudderless right now. We’re offering this retreat to not only work through some of this anguish, but as an opportunity to really take a breath and begin to answer some of the gnawing questions each of us may have. How do I deepen my work in such a time? How do I take ideas from exceptional thinkers and more rigorously apply them to my own thinking and life? What can the connection between book page and real world look like? What does it mean to step away from constant media churn to bolster longer-term thought and reflection?
Our five day workshop with Pulitzer finalist John Vaillant offers the opportunity to delve into rigorous, bold conversations and practical solutions for moving forward with renewal and purpose in a changing world. We’ll be customising the program to the final set of participants, but it will include keynote talks, reading lists and excerpts, honest and collaborative facilitated conversations, and plenty of time for reflection in the beautiful gardens and grounds of Hollyhock.”
Now that you’re (most likely) sold on the idea, it’s time for the hard facts. Such a dreamy locale and immersive, one-of-a-kind experience obviously comes with a hefty price tag, so brace yourself: the cost of participating in the retreat begins at roughly $1,500 for a single person, and gets more expensive depending on whether you’re willing to embrace the “summer camp” vibes by shacking up in a dorm or pitching a tent Hollyhock’s campsite, or would rather treat the experience more like a real-deal vacation. You can get a full rundown of all of the options and what’s included in each one here. And if that doesn’t burst your bubble, but your bank account is still looking a bit sad, at least there’s a decent amount of time before May to squeeze your budget and save up the funds! Just don’t wait too long to lock in your reservation, if you can, since chances are pretty dang good that you won’t be the only one inspired to take whatever measures necessary to participate in this exciting opportunity. (FYI, for those who meet Hollyhock’s scholarship criteria, there is also the option to apply for funding assistance. Scope out the website’s scholarship page for the full rundown.)
Full details on the Upstart & Crow and Hollyhock Climate Readers’ Retreat, including the link to lock in your reservation, can be found here.
WHY WE CARE
The Climate Readers’ Retreat melds our love of reading and literature with our desire to activate strategies for real, positive climate change solutions. Although Scout is loud-and-proud about supporting local farmers, foragers, and growers, and advocating for a sustainable/responsible food system, it can be difficult to work up the energy to get out of our internet bubble to take action ourselves, and all-too-easy to feel helpless, not knowing where to start or how to connect with the people who do know. Upstart & Crow and Hollyhock clearly get that. Although on the surface the Retreat may seem like a privileged opportunity to escape the city and play “activist” for a week (or less), we know that there are genuinely good people behind this experience who’re actually invested in the wellness of the BC community – we’ve been expounding on our love for what Upstart & Crow does for a while now – and that, although the personal rewards for those who participate will be delivered in spades, the connections made and knowledge gleaned over the duration of the Retreat should reverberate long after the last day, and far beyond its Island location – as it’s intended to!
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