Event Info: First Annual Thriving Communities Conference

First Annual Thriving Communities Conference

November 13 - 16, 2011
Building a Healthy Local Food System

Designed for community-based teams and individuals working on creating thriving local communities.

Join us on South Whidbey Island for our inaugural Thriving Communities Conference, the first of a series of annual conferences exploring the critical issues facing small communities.

This year we'll explore how to build a thriving local food system, using the South Whidbey Island community as a living laboratory. We'll look at the defining attributes of a healthy local food system, common challenges and how to overcome them.

As a participant, you will have an opportunity to create your own community food blueprint during the conference, and join an ongoing learning network to help propel your community work.

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Schedule:

Conference schedule and content is in the final stages of design; program will be shared in early September. General structure outline is as follows:

Sunday, November 13

6:00 pm	Dinner
7:00 pm	Welcome and Opening

Monday, November 14

8:00 am	Breakfast
9:00 am	Morning Content
12:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm	Afternoon Content
6:00 pm	Community Dinner
7:30 pm	Evening Activities

Tuesday, November 15

8:00 am	Breakfast
9:00 am	Morning Content
12:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm	Afternoon Content
6:00 pm	Community Dinner
7:30 pm	Evening Activities

Wednesday, November 16

8:00am	Breakfast
9:00am	Morning Content
12:30pm	Lunch
1:30pm	Afternoon Content Completion and Departure at 4pm

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Registration

Early Bird Registration available through October 1, 2011	$295
General Registration	$325

Registration covers your participation for the entire session, beginning with the opening Sunday evening, to the completion on Wednesday evening.

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Lodging

$180 + tax for the three days. Extended stay through to Thursday morning available at no additional fee. Most rooms are shared; bathrooms are shared.

Lodging at the Whidbey Institute allows you to fully dive into the Thriving Communities Conference experience. The available accommodations can house only a portion of attending participants; if you would like to stay in one of our rooms please reserve your space now when you register for the conference. We will contact one week prior to the conference with your room assignment and other details.

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Meals

All Meals Beginning with dinner Sunday evening, completing with lunch Wednesday	$150 +tax
Breakfast	$12 +tax
Lunch	$16 +tax
Dinner	$26 +tax

Christyn Johnson, our extraordinary chef, is committed to providing delicious, nourishing meals from locally sourced ingredients. The shared meals are wonderful part of the Thriving Communities Conference experience. Comments from other Whidbey Institute events:

"The food is beyond fabulous"

"Christyn's food was so good I'm still thinking about it."

"I've never tasted love before - every meal was infused with it."

Meals can be purchased on a per-meal basis when registering, or all at once for a total of $150 +tax. You are also welcome to bring your own meals.

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Scholarships

If you are able, please consider supporting the participation of a student or financially limited individual. All funds collected for the scholarship account will be distributed.

Contact ThrivingCommunities@WhidbeyInstitute.org for information about scholarship support.

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Cancellation & Refund Policy

Balance payments are due no later than two weeks before the program begins.

If, after paying the full course fee you find it necessary to cancel, a full refund minus $25 will be given if notice is received at least one month prior to the event. If notice of cancellation is received between one week and one month prior, a 50% refund will be given. For cancellations received less than a week prior to the event, no refund can be given. Contact ThrivingCommunities@WhidbeyInstitute.org

Conference and meal passes are fully transferable; please communicate changes as soon as is possible to ThrivingCommunities@WhidbeyInstitute.org.