Your Town Alabama: Designing Our Future

Welcome to Your Town Alabama

Your Town 2010: Wednesday, June 2-Friday June 4, 2010. Camp McDowell.

 

Welcome to Your Town Alabama
Dear Small Town Community Leader:
Attached is an application and general information for the annual 2010 Your Town Alabama workshop, scheduled for Wednesday, June 2 – Friday, June 4, 2010 at Camp McDowell.  This is our 12th year anniversary!  Participants may only attend the workshop ONCE.  Camp McDowell is located near Nauvoo, Alabama, (close to Jasper, AL) and is a delightful retreat location.  The workshop consists of highly informative presentations and problem-solving activities for participants.  It is also a wonderful opportunity to network with other community leaders and make contacts with presenters who work throughout Alabama in the planning, design, economic development, and resource preservation fields.  The focus of the workshop aims specifically to introduce small town and rural technical assistance providers and decision makers to the role of design in community planning.  Former participants remark that the workshop is FUN and invigorating and opened their minds to many possibilities.  If you or other community leaders are interested in attending this workshop, please complete the application and return by May 3, 2010.  The number of participants is limited so you are strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible. You can now register and securely pay online using a credit card through RegOnline.com. Visit https://www.regonline.com/2010yourtown and simply follow the instructions. If you wish to register via mail, you can download the application in Microsoft Word format here. Please print or type the application and mail it with your check payable to “Your Town Alabama” to the address on the application in the yellow highlighted box.

Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from Camp McDowell.  The workshop begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 2 and ends at 12:00 noon on Friday, June 4.  All participants are expected to stay for the entire workshop; if you can not attend the full 2 ½ days, you will need to register for the next annual workshop.  Feel free to visit the Camp McDowell website at: www.campmcdowell.com for directions and to learn more about the facilities.  Lodging for Wednesday and Thursday are required at Camp McDowell, however if you need overnight lodging for Tuesday, June 1, due to your travel distance, a list of local hotels in Jasper, AL is provided.  Your Town Alabama participants will be housed in Miller Commons, which includes 5 cabins – each cabin includes 11 bedrooms (6 upstairs and 5 downstairs – all rooms have two queen beds/one bath).  There are no TV’s, radios, alarm clocks or telephones in the cabins; but you will be surrounded by a beautiful natural environment.  Feel free to bring your bicycle as we will be walking, cycling or driving to the eating facilities.  Dress for the workshop is very casual (shorts/jeans/T-shirts/tennis shoes, etc.).

The cost for the workshop is $195 per participant for double occupancy (roommates will be assigned) OR $230 per participant for single occupancy.  There are a limited number of single rooms; if you prefer a single room, you are encouraged to apply EARLY as they will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.  The registration fee includes all workshop materials, lodging and “healthy” meals (lunch and dinner on Wednesday; breakfast, lunch and dinner on Thursday; and breakfast on Friday).  If you do not register on-line, please make checks payable to: “Your Town Alabama” and submit with your application – no refunds will be given after May 3, 2010.  If you need additional information, call (205) 323-3592 and ask for Kay Argo, or e-mail me at Martha@yourtownalabama.org and we for respond to you.

Please feel free to duplicate this information and distribute among citizens in your community that would benefit from the workshop.  Participants must apply for and be accepted to attend the Your Town Alabama workshop prior to arrival.  There will be no on-site registration since extensive preparation must be made well in advance for each participant. 

The workshop is sponsored by a host of organizations including the Alabama Historical Commission, the Alabama Association of Regional Councils, Appalachian Regional Commission, The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development, Auburn University Urban Studio, the Cawaco Resource Conservation and Development Council, the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham and Alabama Power Company.
Please complete the application and return via US mail or fax to: 205-348-6974 by the May 3rd deadline.  If selected, an information packet will be mailed to you with more specific information.  Late applications will be considered for future classes.

We look forward to a fun, challenging and rewarding workshop.

Sincerely,

Martha W. Whitson
Your Town Alabama, Inc.

Local Hotels in Jasper, AL

Budget Inn - 205-221-6430
Days Inn – 205-221-7800 or 205-221-0123 (www.daysinn.com)
Hampton Inn – 205- 221-3334
Holiday Inn Express - 205-302-6400 or 800-465-4329 (www.holidayexpress.com)
Jameson Inn – 205-387-7710 (www.jamesoninns.com)
Super 8 - 205-221-3050 (www.super8.com)
Travel Rite Inn - 205-221-1161

Suggested Items to Bring to Camp

• Comfortable, casual clothes
• Rain gear (poncho, jacket or umbrella)
• Walking shoes
• Seat chair cushion – (if desired) as you will be sitting for extended periods
• Personal medications
• Flashlight with spare batteries
• Insect Repellent
• Alarm clock
• Individual snack items*
• Individual drinks*
• Bicycle, if you prefer to cycle rather than walk to camp facilities

* Light snacks will be provided, however if you have a special snack or drink you prefer, or want your team to have specific snacks, you may want to bring your own.  Vending machines are also available – bring change as we will not be able to make change.