The 4th Annual Inter-Organizational Retreat on January 10-11 brought together campus sustainability organizations for a collaborative, fun, and inspirational adventure. This year's theme was "Beyond the Campus and Ourselves: Creating Impact Through Collaboration." There were over 120 attendees at the retreat stemming from all sorts of organizations, including, for the first time, the Brain, Mind, and Consciousness Society and Sea Slugs.
On Friday, January 10th, we enjoyed a dinner that was made by a team of students led by Tim Galarneau, Food Systems Education & Research Program Specialist for the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS). After we stuffed our stomachs with delicious food, we imitated animals in a team building activity designed to have fun and get to know each other better and played other teambuilding games. Finally, at the end of the night, we were all inspired by Brock Dolman's keynote presentation entitled "Basins of Relations: Restoring Our Watershed!"
After a great night, bright and early the next morning, we all packed our belongings and headed to Camp Campbell, a YMCA camp a half hour up Empire Grade, to enjoy the rest of the weekend. There was hiking, workshops, an Open Space Technology, and even a campfire talent show, where we were intelligently told that everything that happens at the campfire, stays at the campfire - but, let's just say it was truly magical. Who knew that so many people could bond and become a family in such a short amount of time?
To those that came to the retreat, thank you so much for contributing to the sustainability movement and UCSC and for sharing your ideas and accomplishments at the retreat.
And thank you so much to all of the students, staff, and faculty that helped plan the best Inter-Org Retreat thus far!
Pictures by Lily Urmann (Student Environmental Center)
To read a student perspective that mentions the retreat and discusses UC Santa Cruz sustainability work in general, read this post on the Civinomics blog by Melanie Fornes, a UCSC Campus Sustainability Council member.
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