Subject: S-ROC-ELF
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 11:18:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: Terry Kok <biostar_a@yahoo.com>
To: everyone@thislist.net
 

CONTRIBUTE A LITTLE
NOW = GAIN A LOT
LATER

BOOT STRAPPING
COMMUNITY FROM THE ROCK
BOTTOM UP
“How to Create a Positive Future by
Pooling Resources”

INTRODUCTION

I have a HEART DREAM. This is a dream
of peace, beauty, and well-being for all
people and for the environment in which
we live. In my dream I am surrounded by
friends and family, working together for
mutual aid and support. We are in touch
with nature and the elemental forces. I can
see sacred groves and organic gardens,
moss covered dome homes, and a great
common circle around which we may
gather as equals. There are solar panels,
wind generators, biogas digesters,
composting bins, and constructed
wetlands - little pieces of a greater puzzle
fitting tightly together to form the life
support system for a self-sustaining
community, complete with 100% recycling
and a non-polluting power supply. I call
this place SANCTUARY, the kind of place
we can really sink roots into.

On this sanctuary, no one in particular is
“in charge”. Everyone shares responsibility
for upholding their particular portion of the
community whole. Government is by the
unanimous democratic decision of the
community council. Everyone living on this
sacred land may participate in the process,
including the children. The rules are
simple: recycle everything, pollute nothing,
and KEOA (Keep Each Other Alive). It is a
community, not a commune. Families own
their homes and lease yard/garden space
but the bulk of the land is shared. Each
member donates a small portion of their
time, doing their job, taking personal
responsibility for performing an essential
function in the greater whole. After the
community work is completed, private
enterprise is encouraged. Personal time is
spent doing whatever each person wants
to do for individual gain, prosperity, and
enjoyment - as long as it does not harm
the environment and/or each other.

Yes! I have a HEART DREAM that I am
ready, willing, and able to share. I don’t
have to do this. I already have a home,
garden, and a community stewarded
sanctuary to live on. What my DREAM
demands is that I help you to have this sort
of thing too. On the other hand, maybe you
don’t want to live and work on a sacred
sanctuary, opting instead to live and work
elsewhere, for other people and/or
yourself. Maybe you enjoy cutting up the
environmental pie in increasingly smaller
pieces, dividing the land into tiny plots and
competing for jobs so you can afford to
rent or own a lessor or greater portion
yourself. Maybe you like to deal with banks
and landlords. I don’t. The rules are not
fair. Neither are the opportunities for
advancement. Besides, I dress funny, talk
back, and do not make a very good clone.
I’m looking to meet and collaborate with
other non-conformists. Together we may
change the course of the world.

I am so into making this DREAM COME
TRUE that I devoting the remaining portion
of my mortal life to opening a gateway,
creating a portal, establishing a channel
through which we may achieve the
seemingly impossible. There is a plan,
procedure, and a means to make it
happen. The project is already in strong
and sure motion. Initial fund raising events
are in the works. A good time will be had
by all, even if you don’t wish to delve
deeper into community building. No
problem. Just let us entertain you.

Close to the core of this SANCTUARY
DREAM are two things: MAGIC AND
MUSIC. That’s right, I’m talking about a
performance place, a magical venue for a
wide variety of musical and theatrical acts,
bands, and solo performers. The “group
business”, the one which brings in outside
money (needed to purchase things we
cannot supply or construct ourselves), if
based on providing the general public with
a MAJOR FESTIVAL SITE and
campgrounds, holding up to 5000 people.
The plan is to hold at least one major
event per month, providing income for the
sanctuary, the performers, craft folk, and
merchants. The campgrounds will be open
whether we are throwing an event or not.
There will be plenty of “golden
opportunities” to make personal money
and/or to barter and trade goods and
services. The thespians and musicians will
receive a percentage of the gate in
exchange for their performance, plus free
advertising on our web site. Traveling
performers will have an affordable place to
stay between gigs - a home away from
home.

People who like to wear funny clothes will
be welcome! No one is going to make you
cut your hair or conform to an artificial
religion. We do not discriminate against
anyone due to their gender, race, cultural
or ethnic background, political affiliations,
etc. Our position is not to judge each other
but to provide a place where such
judgements are taboo. We encourage
“strength through diversity”. Our emphasis
is on the JAM. Sometimes we might be
playing 12 bar blues. On other occasions
we might “rock out” or even play a simple
acoustic folk tune. It all depends on the
event, the mood, and what nature
demands in exchange for providing us with
sustainable life support. If you are not sure
what’s going on, ask which key we’re
playing in. If you don’t play an instrument,
simply dance or sit by the side and watch
the show. Participation is encouraged but
not required.

The manifestation of every good dream
must start somewhere. We’re starting with
three fund raising events in 1999. We’ll
throw at least three more in 2000. By 2001
we will have accumulated enough capital
resources to begin purchasing the land
and constructing the infrastructure for the
PROPAGATOR SANCTUARY. This place
will be our primary money making venture,
designed to accomodate large festivals
and crowds of people. A percentage of the
proceeds from these events will go directly
into a SANCTUARY LAND FUND, to be
used to purchase property for the next
sanctuary in the network. When you buy a
ticket to an event, you get a membership in
our organization. Members will then
receive discounts on other events and
festivals and will have the right to camp on
any sanctuary in the network. Within a few
years the PROPAGATOR will pay itself off
and continue to generate funds for more
sanctuaries. We would like at least one
sacred space outside each major city,
maybe more. Can you picture this? I can. It
will be wonderful to have multiple places to
share with friends and family.

Do you wish to learn more? Our books are
open. Send $2 and we will mail you a copy
of everything we have on S-ROC. Or,
purchase a ticket for one or more of our
fund raising festivals. Send a
self-addressed stamped envelope if you
want us to send you the festival posters
and promo fliers. Are you a performer?
Then send us your bio so we can work
your act into the schedule. Yes, you may
post this information on the internet and/or
bulletin boards. Do you have media
contacts? Tip them off. Tell them how to
get in touch with us. And, don’t forget to
bring a pile of people with you to the
festivals. The best advertising we know is
through “word of mouth”. Please use yours
to support this HEART DREAM. Together
we can make it real.

May the Green Force be with you!
Terry Ryan Kok, S-ROC facilitator

S-ROC-ELF c/o PO Box 1082,
Bloomington, Indiana
47402-1082
biostar_a@yahoo.com  (812)
275-0585
>www.elflore.org