On May 2, posed information on how to donate green energy (US dollars) to some critical infrastructure needs before the gathering.

As a result of that email, a lot of discussion has been happening between various people
and I wanted to get back to you - but the short answer is we need serious money and it can be donated to www.ashevillecommunity.org/hawker/water/ (the website is not up-to-date,
but any funds donated via this paypal link will be used for the 2008 Annual Gathering Equipment purchases). I give you my word on that! I even heard from one of the CALM focalizers, that replacing and updating this equipment is of critical importance to the health and safety
of the gathering.

Now for the long response:

For many years, a couple of amazing brothers have been focalizing filtered drinking water
systems and radio communications for emergency use. Much of this equipment was stored
in a trailer on private property on the east coast. Unfortunately, last year
the trailer was stolen along with the thousands of dollars worth of equipment it contained.

As it takes a while to purchase the necessary equipment, build the water systems and prepare
for the gathering, donations are desperately needed immediately to fund clean
and safe drinking water for the gathering as well as communications equipment for CALM (First Aid).

Also, the people focalizing radio communications and clean water are burned out and
the gathering needs new human energy to learn and enhance what we have. If you're into helping and
don't know how to connect up, email me (kzirk@earthlink.net) and I'll hook you up.

A safe and happy gathering means a gathering with filtered drinking water. No clean water means a lot of people are going to ends up with the shits - don't let that be you.

Please please please, if one thousand gatherers donate $10 each, that's $10,000
and we can start this gathering with our water needs and CALM needs in good shape.
For the victim of a heart attack, this can mean the difference between life and death.

Please pass this information on to all your lists and talk to your friends. I've
included a summarzied accounting of the equipment that was lost in the trailer theft
below.

Love you all!

Karin


**********************From one of the focalizers***************************************
Here's an update on specifically what was lost:
We lost many of the larger antennas I use for
base stations and the cross band repeaters used to get emergency help
from other outside repeaters (that saved lives in Arizona for
example). We did loose some family radios and family stuff as well as
our back up supplies.

I also lost all the solar panels and batteries that CALM uses for
recharging batteries, CPAK equipment and other medical gear as well
as lot of shovels, rakes and other implements of destruction.

That is basically what happened. We lost about $2000 of filters,
about $300 in pre filters, and perhaps $3000-$5000 in water parts
(hard to come up with a real number on that one). I lost some
housings but not most of them, other than pre-filter housings.
Some of this was custom made parts and some odd ball stuff that was
found and collected over the years that is hard to replace.
I also lost all my connector hose.