The Annual CWI Gathering will return to
The Irish Cottage in Galena, Illinois.
What to Expect at the Gathering:
The Gathering activities will include "ice-breaker" introduction, wine & cheese reception,
the annual CWI Members Meeting, music, poetry readings, programs,optional activities
(i.e., trip up to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, walking the Sinsinawa labyrinth, wine
tastings, historical tours, and more).CWI gatherings are always a wonderful event to
meet other women who share Celtic interests. Come alone and leave with lots of new friends!
Room Reservations
All of the rooms set aside at the Irish Cottage have been taken, but there are a number of other hotels and B&B's in the area. Visit
Visit Galena for some options.
Let us know that you are planning to attend
- Please e-mail CWI at Gathering@celticwomen.org know once you have booked your
reservation. You could instead send us a note to: Celtic Women International, P.O. Box 58,
Butler, WI 53007.
- There will be a Gathering registration fee of $40 (members) / $45 (nonmembers)
payable at the Gathering.
Schedule
Still considering whether to attend CWI's Spring 2011 Gathering in Galena? It's not too late!
While our block of rooms at the Irish Cottage is all filled, Galena has lots of other options. Check out hotels via Visit Galena's website at http://www.visitgalena.org/galena-inn.
If you plan to attend, you may pay the $40 (members) / $45 (non-members) at the Gathering. Please let us know you plan to attend by e-mailing us at Gathering@celticwomen.org.
Here's the schedule for the Gathering.
Friday Night
- 4:00 pm - CWI Board Meeting
- 6:00PM - 7:00PM - Gathering - Wine & Cheese in the lounge on the 1st floor
- Formal gathering Beltane ceremony:
Please bring a small amount of water from home, i.e., a vial or small bottle of water from a nearby natural source or from a tap in your home. Keep the container for transporting the "mixed waters" after the closing of the Spring Gathering on Sunday morning.
- Dinner in Galena - Goldmoor Inn (upscale restaurant) www.goldmoor.com (light eaters may consider sharing meals)
- After dinner back to the Lounge for poetry, music in the bar or just a glass of wine with friends
SATURDAY
- Breakfast at the Irish Cottage (included)
- 10:00an - Annual Meeting 8:30 AM or 9AM
- 11:00 am – OPTIONS - so much to do!
- Mineral Point - 25 min trip for those who wish to carpool to this historic Irish/Welsh/Cornish immigrant town for a quick tour and lunch. Pasties at the Red Rooster???'
- Sinsinawa Mound Gift Shop & Labyrinth – 11 miles north of Galena; Great sticky buns & baked goods in gift shop. Lunch in Galena?
- Shopping Galena the boutique strip, do a little wine tasting, take a tour, lunch on the strip or the Irish Cottage Pub
- Spa visit, long walk, or Galena tour. Visit http://www.visitgalena.org/galena-attractions for ideas.
- 1:30 pm – Program - Phil Ryan of InRoads Ireland "Celtic Women"
- 3:00 pm - Trip to Ireland Power Point Slide Show Debbie O'Grady
- 4:00 pm - Meditation with Joan Kramer
- Immediately after Meditation: Raffle Drawing
- 7:00 pm - Dinner at the Irish Cottage
- After dinner: Music in the pub, poetry readings
SUNDAY
- Breakfast at the Cottage (included)
- 9:00 - Conclusion of the Beltane Water sharing and Gathering's Scattering10:00 - Mass St. Mary's Catholic Church
- 11:00 – Hotel Check out time
- Lunch - Any attendees wanting to lunch together or do more in Galena should group up during the earlier part of the Gathering
There was a
Celtic Invasion in Plymouth, Wisconsin from April 25 to April 27th.
The "Spring Fling" in Plymouth CWI Getaway Weekend was the biggest
venture (so far) of the Sheboygan County Branch of Celtic Women and it
was thoroughly
enjoyed by all attendees. This year, we explored the Celtic areas
around Plymouth, Wisconsin, home of our newest CWI branch. Read more
about this fun gathering of Celtic women.
View
photos from the 2007 "Great Galena Getaway Weekend"
Before the "Gold Rush" there was the LEAD
RUSH. Galena (Latin for Lead),
Mineral Point, New Diggings - are all towns connected to the mines and
worked by
Cornish miners. Using as our base, we toured several of the historical
sites.
CWI was pleased to
co-sponsor Chicago's new
Womens Art Series Collective's Women's History Month Event:
Collaborative Partners: Celtic Women International, Institute of Art
Therapies, Chicago, Still Point Theatre Collective, and the Irish
American Heritage Center Library.
One of the ways that Celtic Women International has recognized its
achievements is by giving women the chance to get together in various
different settings and
formats. At the current time, these gatherings may take place on a
local
branch level or they may be centered around existing celtic fests or
other events. In the past, CWI gatherings included wonderful large
conferences that offered
fun, educational and cultural presentations. If you are aware of a
conference or other celtic event that you feel would be of interest to
other CWI members,
please e-mail us so we can publicize it, include it in our newsletter
calendar,
and possibly co-sponsor it.
In 2004, the Board of Directors evaluated the financial feasibility of
continuing to sponsor large conferences on an annual basis. It was
decided that the organization needed to focus on building and
strengthening its local organizations before offering its next large
international conference. Local groups of women should consider forming
a local chapter of Celtic Women International - See
Local Branches
for more information.
