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We hope to make Pleasures of Beltane as accessible as possible, knowing there are limitations and learning edges we continue to work with in an ableist society. Below is a list of accessibilty information and attempts we are making towards creating more accessibility at camp. If you have any specific needs or questions that are not addressed below please reach out to us at pleasuresofbeltane@gmail.com
Scroll down to read about Elemental Support teams, Site Details, Navigating COVID-19 (we are a covid cautious camp!), Accomodations, Food and Camp Schedule/Pacing
Elemental Support Teams
There are a number of camper-led, organizer-supported teams that support the community at Pleasures of Beltane.
The Earth, Air, Water, and Steam teams all have members available throughout camp to support immediate and emergent needs. Folks will be invited to sign up for a team in their camper application!
Earth Team: Experienced medics available for immediate first-aid support
Air Team: Experienced support in conflict mediation
Water Team: Experienced support with mental and emotional well-being
Fire Team: Firetenders
Spirit Team: Ritual facilitators
Steam Team: Accessibility support
The Steam Team organizes one-to-one accessibility support for anyone who may need assistance at camp. This may look like driving folks to and from sites, support getting around, carrying belongings, etc. (Note: Steam is one of the queer elements we've learned about from the radical faeries - the other queer elements include Dust, Mud, and Smoke)
Getting Around Camp
All organized camp activities will take place at locations accessible by paved and packed earth (un-paved) paths. All pathways are firmly packed without loose gravel. Paths are generally flat with no major obstacles. The entire site is on a gentle slope so there are some hills between some of the areas, particularly to get from the central eating area to the bathhouse and some of the cabins.
There will be an accessibility car with volunteer drivers for folks needing a ride to and from main areas for the paths, ritual, meals and sleeping cabins.
All of the communal buildings we will use and the one accessible cabin have rustic ramped access or same-level entry. Some of them have small lips in the doorways. All of the buildings are one-story.
The main locations of camp are a mix of close together and spread out. The cabins, dining hall, bathhouse, and tenting area are all fairly close with a steep incline leading up to the dining hall. The ritual hall is roughly a ten minute stroll/roll from this location on the road with the hill mentioned above. There are steeper areas with stairs (see below photo) between some cabins and the dining hall. There are cabins with less steep/more accessible entrances.
There are numerous areas outside of the main camp locations on site that are not very physically accessible, including a network of rougher trails.
Covid-19
POB is a Covid cautious space and we are requiring camp attendees to take the risks of Covid and the wellness of their fellow attendees seriously.
What this means in practice:
Before Camp
Knowing that jobs/travel etc. will be different for each, we are asking people to limit their contact with others and especially public spaces and gatherings as much as possible in the 7 days prior to camp.
We require that camp attendees mask in the week leading up to camp in all public spaces. Public spaces include: grocery stores, restaurants, airports, buses, busy offices, etc.
We require that you COVID test during the week prior to camp before you begin your travels. If you test positive, please let us know and please stay home for our collective well-being.
At camp
All camp attendees will be required to take a plus life PCR test on Thursday afternoon (as part of registration/arrival), and then rapid antigen tests on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday mornings. If anyone tests positive during camp we will support them to quarantine either by leaving camp or in a separate area at camp.
We require attendees to mask indoors for the first 24 hrs of camp until everyone has received one negative plus life PCR test and one negative antigen test. There will be places to eat outdoors during this time.
Many of our collective meeting spaces are indoors and we will be using air filtration in all indoor spaces. The ritual/play space will be set up in a building that is half indoors and half outdoors covered area.
*We plan to provide the testing materials for the plus life PCR test, and ask campers to bring their own rapid antigen tests. Please let us know if you have a plus life machine you are willing to lend!
If tending these pieces around Covid do not feel possible for you or aligned with your politics, then this is not the space for you.
Scented Product Awareness
We endeavor to be a scent-free/low-scent camp. We send out information ahead of time in our camper packet asking attendees to ensure any products they are bringing to camp (soap, sunscreen, insect repellent etc.) are unscented/scent-free. We ask that people do not bring any scented items - essential oils, perfumes, candles, etc. to camp. We also ask people who do not regularly use unscented laundry detergent to wash any fabric items (clothing, bedding etc) in unscented detergent, ideally a few times before coming to camp.
We also recognize there is often a cultural learning curve here and we will have a specific cabin set aside for folks requiring scent-free space and do our best to ventilate indoor spaces. Note there is a fireplace in the ritual hall and we have plans to have indoor fires during ritual.
Accommodations
Accommodation options at camp include shared cabins, space for tenting, and space for vehicle camping. Tent and vehicle camping are the only options if you need a non-shared space. There are no RV hook-ups for vehicle camping.
Cabins will be shared in groups of roughly four to six people, depending on how many people attend camp. We will set-up cabin sharing based on people's needs such as scent-free, low-noise etc. Please indicate any needs you have for shared space in the question around accessibility on the application form.
The accommodations do not meet ADA standards and most have 2 steps at the entrance. There is one cabin set-up to be the accessible cabin with a ramped entrance that at one point the site said met ADA standards. We do believe this cabin would be accessible to people using wheeled devices. All cabins have electricity and electric heat. There are mattresses, single beds, bunk beds, and queen beds provided. You must bring your own bedding.
There is one central bathhouse with showers and toilets next to the hottub. Most showers have a lip to enter them. There are ADA standard toilet stalls and at least wheel-chair accessible shower. There is a short walk between most of the cabins and the bath house up a gentle incline.
The indoor buildings we plan to gather communally in have overhead fluorescent lights; we plan to keep them off whenever possible and use alternative string lights, lamps etc when spaces need to be lit. Please help us with this by bringing soothing lighting!
Food
Our amazing cooks are able to accommodate a wide-selection of dietary needs. All meals have gluten free and vegan options as needed based on camper information. There is a clear place to indicate your dietary needs on the application form.
If we have any questions or think we may not be able to meet your needs we will follow-up with you.
There will be some limited space (including refrigerated space) to store any additional food items you may want to bring to meet your needs.
Pace
We endeavor for Pleasures of Beltane to have a slower pace than other witchcamps. We generally have spacious and activity-free mornings as well as chunks of time between activities to support a slower pace.
We gather together for path in the afternoon after a late morning brunch, and most rituals take place from evening time onward (with the exception of Sunday's afternoon ritual).
We also encourage everyone to take their own space and pace and rest. Our new site includes a bromine (not chlorine) hot-tub to rest in!
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