Did you know…Every year at the TLS Annual Gathering we have a Silent Auction of items donated by TLS members? In 2012, the Silent Auction will offer both new and gently-used items, including many things from the private collections of long time members, Robert Ferre’ and Jill Geoffrion. Gathering attendees will be able to bid on fine art, books, videos, tapes of past Gathering presentations, textiles, souvenirs from Chartres cathedral, sculpture, finger labyrinths, and more. All proceeds from the Silent Auction will fund scholarships for the 2013 Annual Gathering. Dan Raven is coordinating the Silent Auction again in 2012. Contact Dan Raven  if you wish to donate or bring your donations to the Silent Auction area at the Gathering.

For the first time the 2012 Gathering will offer a Poster Session on Saturday.  Poster sessions allow attendees to speak with the presenters on a one-to-one basis. The session consists of a large number of poster presenters located in the same area, at the same time. Each presenter has a designated spot in which to set up their presentation display and then be available to conference attendees who move from one presentation area to the next within the room. Posters offer the opportunity to showcase research outcomes, creative work, or other developing work in a large, single page format. This presentation method is useful for work that is better presented outside of the lecture or experiential workshop format.

The setting for the 2012 Annual Gathering is breathtakingly beautiful, tucked into woods and meadows, with bluffs overlooking the St. Croix River. Autumn colors and migrating birds abound. The Healing-Energy Center will be located in the lower level of the Weyerenhaeuser Lodge, a log building at the top of the bluff. Windows look out to woods and river, and a stone fireplace warms this quiet space where energy healing and massage therapies will be available. Local practitioners will offer private sessions on a sign-up basis, but the quiet gathering space will be welcoming for all. Come and find this quiet center for relaxation and rejuvenation at the Gathering.

Are you in need of a gift? Do you shop online? Would you like to help support TLS?

By clicking on any “Shop Amazon.com” link via the TLS website, you will automatically be connected to Amazon’s extensive collection of books, electronics, gifts, and well - anything! …And the best part? When you make your purchase, a portion of the proceeds will be sent to the Labyrinth Society!

The local planning team for the 2012 Annual Gathering has been busy preparing for the arrival of guests from near and far. The TLS Annual Gathering is like a family reunion of labyrinth enthusiasts and this year we gather in Hudson, Wisconsin. 

The 2012 Gathering will begin with dinner on Friday evening, October 12^th, followed by a welcome blessing with poetry, song, and stories from the breathtakingly beautiful St. Croix River Valley that forms the Minnesota-Wisconsin border. The theme is Timeless Flow ~ Reflections and Current in the Labyrinth, and will celebrate the history and contemporary uses of labyrinths around the world. Historian and photographer Jeff Saward will set the stage in his Friday keynote presentation that will include intriguing recent discoveries of ancient patterns. On Saturday, the Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress will present her story of the more recent history and expanding uses of labyrinths in contemporary society. On Sunday, the Rev. Dr. Jill Kimberly Hartwell Geoffrion will share her awe-inspiring global experiences bringing labyrinths to relieve suffering and offer hope to struggling and war-torn communities.

Intermingled throughout the weekend will be concurrent learning sessions, a multitude of labyrinth experiences, marketplace, Silent Auction, and networking opportunities. There will also be quiet places to sit and reflect by the river, in the woods, or in front of one of the many stone fireplaces. A Healing Energy Center will offer energy and massage services and a quiet indoor space to relax and unwind. The area is home to the largest population of bald eagles south of Alaska and a wealth of labyrinths, several of which will be featured in four pre- and post-Gathering tours.

Attendees may choose to expand the experience with add-on activities before and after the Gathering, such as tours, beading, felting, and sandcasting, and an interactive equine workshop. Online registration for all activities is easy, so come for a few hours, a single day, or the entire event. Limited on-site accommodations are still available and many hotels are conveniently located, with a shuttle van provided by TLS.

Our Gathering location is conveniently situated less than 2 miles south of Interstate 94, along the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, 20 miles due east of St. Paul, MN, in Hudson, WI.  Shuttle service is available from the Minneapolis St Paul airport (MSP).  

Are you on the list of registrants? It is not too late to register. Come join the fun!

As this year’s Gathering approaches, the Jewelry Gypsies have looked into our crystal balls and beheld images that warm our hearts: TLS members purging accessory closets and drawers of forgotten bling!

We all know that labyrinth enthusiasts accessorize well. If you’re like us, you have a stash of fabulous jewelry and scarves that haven’t made it out of the drawer in a long time. We invite you to put this wonderful bling to good use for TLS.

Do you have earrings, bracelets, rings, cuff links, or bolo ties? A pashmina or perhaps that favorite feather boa you found abandoned in the back of the closet? Here's your chance to buff and fluff it all up for a good cause! Take part in the TLS Jewelry Fundraiser at Gathering 2012 and donate used jewelry and scarves to benefit our organization.

It’s as easy as 1-2-3:

If you’re planning on donating, here’s what we need from you:

1. List the following information on a piece of paper: Your name, cell number where you can be reached during the Gathering, a list of the donated item(s) along with a dollar value for the total donation.
2. If you have earring cards or small jewelry boxes or bags, please include them with the donation.
3. Drop off your donation at the Jewelry Gypsy Table located in the vendor area at the Gathering.

What's more? Donation doesn't have to be all you do to serve this wonderful cause:

1. The Jewelry Gypsies need your help at the vending table. Come have fun with us as we sell all of this glamorous glitz for a good cause. Contact Hallie Sawyers to sign up!
2. And don’t stop there: consider browsing the donated merchandise and find something 'new-to-you' to buy at a very reasonable cost!

All proceeds will be donated to TLS, so please help support our organization!

We look forward to seeing an endless parade of incredible people wearing fabulous bling that they bought at our table.

The TLS Jewelry Gypsies,

Diane Terry-Kehner
Hallie Sawyers
Carol Mauer
Connie Fenty