Contributed by CARP Las Vegas
On May 30, 2020, CARP Las Vegas concluded our ten-day virtual workshop, an endeavor utilizing our full investment. Our tradition has been to hold a similar workshop twice a year to end each semester together, but this semester our workshop was more important than ever before. With the many challenges facing our society and world, CARP wanted to be a source of inspiration and hope for all of our members, and it was vital that we could end the semester strongly. Through the hard work of the core members of CARP LV and through the participation and efforts of all of the attendees, the first ten-day workshop of CARP LV was a complete success.
As this was the first time we attempted something like this, when the workshop began, no one knew exactly what to expect. Fortunately, with the cooperation of our participants, everyone could have an enriching experience.
We had around fifteen participants join us for the first week. Most of the participants knew of each other beforehand, but there was still room for people to make new connections, to strengthen old friendships, and to practice building the culture of love that CARP practices. Many people said that the retreat helped strengthen their connection with their friends.
The schedule of our workshop was compact and intensive. Each day, we would sit through two lectures, followed by discussion and a Q&A session at the end. There was very little time for rest or more “fun” activities, but all of the participants made a heroic effort to remain focused and engaged, and, overall, people were very inspired by the content of the lectures. The discussions were an opportunity for participants to share their experiences with the lectures and begin to understand and digest the content and think about how it applies to their lives.
A great debt of thanks is owed to all of the lecturers who put in their full effort and energy to make each and every lecture meaningful and engaging. In the first week, lectures were given by Akira and Makiko Watanabe, CARP Las Vegas Directors, and Kailey Grandstrom, CARP LV leader.
In the evening, we hosted fun activities, such as movie night and “Hearts and Crafts”. These activities helped facilitate deeper connections with each other, and even though participation was usually optional, we saw many participants eagerly joining in.
The second half of the workshop began the following Monday. Most people stayed on for the second week, and a few new people joined us as well. The second week followed nearly the same schedule as the first with different content. Kailey Grandstrom and Makiko Watanabe returned to give lectures, and William Haines and Christine Froelich gave closing presentations.
At the conclusion of the second part of the workshop, as with the first, we got to hear testimonies from our guests. Everyone shared that their experience was incredibly profound, and many were inspired to continue to participate in CARP events throughout the remainder of the summer and into next semester. We at CARP Las Vegas are so grateful to everyone who participated and for the amazing experience we could share.
Hosting this ten-day workshop was a real challenge for CARP LV, but the results have been amazing. We hope to see everyone who participated in our workshop again either this summer or next semester. Thank you to all of our participants and to those who made this workshop possible.
Check out more from CARP Las Vegas on their website. Share your story to jennifer@carplife.org!