Valentines
Day Gift Idea
Instead of chocolates
this Valentine's Day tell your sweetie to send you to The AmiGals
Literary retreat June 6-8th in Fishkill,New York!
Sweetness and
sensuality of the literary variety will be there for the
pleasing because Marcus Major sharing his new book a "Man
Most Worthy" and Dwayne Birch author of Shattered Souls
will have joined the AmiGals list of male authors. (Find
Out More or Sign Up Here)
AmiGals
Literary Retreat 2003
Frequently Asked Questions
What
is the goal of workshop How
many women attend? What
is the cost? What's
included in the Saturday Fun Pass? How
do you get to the Retreat? Can
we come to the Retreat early? Accomodations Itinerary:
Friday, June 6th
Saturday, June 7th
Sunday, June 8th How
do I register for The AmiGals Retreat?
What
is the goal of the AmiGal Literary for Writers and Readers Retreat
and how many women attended last year?
The
retreat is designed to offer women an opportunity to celebrate
African-American authors and insight into the art of
capturing the written word. In addition women gain knowledge about
areas particularly important to women such as wellness,
spirituality, education and finance. In it inaugural year last
year over 100 women attended. Attendance capacity is 160.
Attendees came from areas of New York, Massachusetts,
Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
What
is the cost?
The
cost based on your accommodation choice: The price is $250
per person for a cabin, which sleeps eight. or $350.00 per person in
the cabin townhouse. Please note there are only 10 spaces for the
cabin townhouse. These prices include meals.
The
Saturday Fun Pass includes admission to the retreat on Saturday
from 10am until 5pm. This will allow you to attend book a day of
discussions with the authors, have lunch and browse the AmiGal
Bazaar for $150.00
How
do you get to the Retreat?
By
plane: You will fly coach into Stewart
International Airport Newburgh, New York. Ground transportation
will await you.
By
train: From New York
City: you will take Metro North to Beacon. You can also take Amtrak
to Poughkeepsie. Transportation
will be provided to take you to the campsite.
By
car: If you are traveling
by car I will send driving directions separately. Camp Mariah is
owned and operated by The Fresh Air Fund and is located on Sharpe
Reservation at 436 Van Wyck Lake Road, Fishkill, New York 12524
Transportation
from New York City is not provided.
Can
we come to the Retreat early?
There
is some availability for AmiGal registrants to come to the
pre-retreat activities on Thursday June 5th, which will
takes place in the AmiGal Author Pavilion located in the Holiday Inn
in Fishkill, New York. These activities include a separate cost.
Accommodations
If you are coming with your book club members or like to make
new friends the $250.00 per person cabin will suit you just
fine. It sleeps eight. There are two showers and two
bathrooms for each cabin. If you would like more privacy we
suggest the $350.00 per person cabin, which is in a townhouse with full baths
and a single room. There are some kitchen facilities
available - refrigerator, coffee maker, microwave, no stove
because we provide all meals. Linens are provided but you may feel
more comfortable with your own.
Massages
and Facials are a separate cost and must be arranged with the
masseuse and skin specialist upon check-in
Meals
All
meals will be provided for you at the campsite.
The
Itinerary (Just to give you an idea of all the fun)
Friday
June 6th
5:00pm-
Check-in
6:00
- 8:00pm - Wine
tasting reception hosted by the Bel-Mar Winery; Silent
Auction
8:00
- 10:00pm - Author reception and parade of book
clubs. Each year the AmiGals chooses an author celebrant whose
written work idealizes the principals of the Passage Institute:
literacy, legacy and leadership. The celebrant is given the
AmiGal award, which is co-sponsored by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. The
AmiGals Retreat 2003 will celebrate Evelyn Coleman for
her children's book "White Socks Only" Evelyn
Coleman is also the author of the thriller What a Woman's
Gotta Do! as well as others. She will speak to the
power of literacy. Meet/ greet authors participants/photo ops
10:00-12:00
- Movie Books (Books
made into Movies)
Saturday, June
7th
7:00
- Aerobics/Nature Power Walk at Camp Mariah (If you
prefer you can workout in the Fitness Center at the hotel)
8:30-9:30
- Breakfast at
Camp Mariah
Our
personal care speaker will be Debrena Jackson Gandy
("Sacred Pampering and "All the Joy You Can Stand").
Four Book
chat sessions will
take place during the following times 9:45-11:00; 11:00-12:30; 1:45-
3:00; and 3:00 -4:30
Writing
Techniques Sessions: TBA
Lunch
will be: 12:45-1:30.
The luncheon speaker will be Francis Ray ("I
know who holds Tomorrow" and 14 others). A Professor of
English, reading, women studies, or political science facilitates
each book chat.
African-American
Literary Trivia Contest (Prizes)
The
AmiGal Bazaar will be
open all day Saturday beginning at 9:30 until 7pm. Watchung
Booksellers is the bookseller for the retreat.
5:00pm
- The Book Club
Makeover Fashion Show along with a demonstration of Book
club food fare samples by a noted New Jersey Chef.
6:30-7:45pm
- Dinner
8pm-
11pm - Karaoke,
Open Mike and An evening with Rose Placid headlines
the entertainment for the AmiGals Gala.
So
you want to let the world know that are a star! You can show us your
goods and have a barrel of laughs during our karaoke session. Back
again this year the Open Mike for Speakers of the Spoken Word. Some
of you may know Rose from the Today's Show with Katie Couric and
Matt Lauer. She was chosen as one of the Today's Show finalist to
compete for Super stardom! Rose didn't win because she didn't
get the call in votes she needed but she is a star in the
making and we are thrilled that she has agreed to come and be apart
of our Retreat.
11-
12pm -For the late
nighters following the Gala is "Movie Books"
(Books that were made into Movies) until midnight.
Sunday
June 8th
8am
- Ecumenical Service by the lake followed by meditative
walk.
10am
- Brunch with final speaker to be named.
1pm
- Closing
How
do I register for The AmiGals Retreat? Click
here to sign up
Peace
& Blessings
Gwen
Parker Ames
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