Heartland Mensa
Region 7

North Dakota Regional Gathering

NORTH DAKOTA is excited about the upcoming Potluck Picnic and Fireworks Regional Gathering on May 31 and June 1 in Valley City (about an hour west of Fargo). 1920s ragtime in a big historic President's House. Contest to name the new "Mensaboat" and races with the Knudson canoe. Horsehoes, fireworks and potluck picnic. Registration is only $12 and includes a pizza lunch! Contact SHIRLEY STARKE at sstarke@nodaknet.net or (701) 845-2382.

1st Annual BARG
(Bailey Annual Regional Gathering)

As many of you know, for more than 20 years, we have been holding an annual Regional Gathering at a beautiful mountain meadow near Buena Vista (The BVRG) the first weekend in August. Lately, interest in the BVRG has waned somewhat, due to several reasons, including increasing crowds at our site, and the distance (about 125 miles) from Denver. This year, Lattina, who has done a wonderful job organizing the event for several years, was unable to run it, and I decided to look for an alternate site that would be closer and more convenient to Mensans from the Front Range, while still reachable to our friends on the Western Slope and elsewhere. I believe I have found such a location, and wish to invite everyone to check it out and plan to attend the 1st Bailey Annual Regional Gathering (the BARG) the first weekend In August, August 1-3, 2008.

The place I have found is called Castle Mountain Recreation at Wellington Lake. It is relatively close to Denver, yet fairly isolated, in a mountainous setting about 11 miles southeast of Bailey. Bailey, Colorado is along Rt 285, about 40 miles from Denver (The Coney Island Hot Dog restaurant, previously in Aspen Park, is now located there). Castle Mountain is a private wilderness area that includes Wellington Lake, a 167 acre scenic mountain lake. Here are a couple of links that describe the place and its facilities and rates, including maps and photographs of the area and campsites.

http://www.coloradodirectory.com/castlemtnrec/

http://castlemountainrecreation.com/index.html

This place isn't free, but it does have toilets, fire rings and a covered picnic area, as well as a small store. There are 5 group areas that can each accommodate 10-200 people. Hiking, swimming, fishing ($1 per day) and boating are available onsite or nearby. Small boats and canoes can be rented onsite, or brought along (wakeless boating only). It is near the Colorado Trail and adjacent to the Lost Creek Wilderness Area. There is a deposit required for a group reservation (already taken care of), which is applied directly to entry/camping fees. The fees are $6 per day per person for adults, $4/day/person for children under 12 and seniors 55 and over, and free for children under 5, based on any part of a day. This covers camping and picnicking. A 3-day weekend (Fri-Sun) would cost each person $12-$18, depending on age. The difference in gas alone (compared to BV) will cover the cost of a couple of people. There will be no need for each person attending to make separate reservations, but each will pay their own fees at the office upon entering the area. Daytime visitors will pay for the day they are visiting. Pets are welcome, but there is a $1/day/dog charge.

There are unpaved, county-maintained roads between Bailey and the Lake. I have not been there yet in person, but I will check out the place before the RG. Based on the description I have been given by the owners, it is unlikely the roads are as bad as those near Cottonwood Lake. They claim they can accommodate RV's up to 40 feet, although there are no hookups or dump station there and, of course, tents and small campers are easily accomodated. I have heard some good things about this place, as well as the area it is located in, and I believe it will be a good site for our RV. Of course, I had to change its name, but maybe we can get some free root beer :-)

For more information, please contact Gary Shapiro 303-674-2756 or locsec@denver.us.mensa.org. Phone numbers and contacts for the campground can be found on the websites, and the owners live there year-round. I will post more info, including directions, closer to the dates. RSVP is not necessary, but I would hope to give the owners a reasonable estimate of our group size in advance of the event. Hope to see you there!

Leadership Development Workshop

Saturday August 2, NORTH DAKOTA sponsors the Region 7 Leadership Development Workshop in Bismarck. Sound boring? Ha! A day filled with ice-breakers, helpful workshops (Getting Money from Mensa for Gifted Children's Activities, PR 101, Motivating Volunteers, Getting People Involved, Connecting with GenX), lunch and dinner. Best of all, registration, workshops and meals are free! Do you have kids? Guests at the hotel enjoy a 150' waterslide and indoor waterpark! Mark your calendar for a fun-filled weekend in Bismarck. Contact ERIN KOFFLER at ekoffler@msn.com or (701) 293-4831.

Mensa Marketplace at the Denver AG

The Mensa Marketplace would like to invite Denver area Mensa members who are crafters to join us at the AG and show/sell their work to what's going to be a HUGE audience of your fellow Mensans! The Marketplace has been growing over the past few years, with new and returning crafters from around the country. And Mensa AG attendees are a wonderful, generous and appreciative group. If you've never tried selling your hand-made craft before, this is an opportunity to see how it works for you. It's low cost ($23 for a 6' table for one day -- and splitting a table with another crafter is possible), low stress, and could be profitable!

We'll be setting up the Marketplace for two days: Friday and Saturday of the AG (July 4th and 5th), from 10 am to 4 pm. Vendors who wish to stay longer are welcome to. If you can't be there at 10 or need to pack up early, that's OK. Only want to be in the Marketplace for one day? No problem! See what we mean about "low stress?"

Please check out the page about the Marketplace on the AG web site: www.ag2008.us.mensa.org (go to Programs, and then Marketplace.) You'll find information about participating as well as the application form.

If you have any questions, please contact the Mensa Marketplace coordinator at marketplace@ag.us.mensa.org.

Hope to see you there!

Donna Jadis
Mensa Marketplace Coordinator

Region 7 Scholarships Update

Warren Walker, our Region 7 Scholarship chair, reports there were 401 total essays received in Region 7. The breakdown was as follows:

106 essays Mid-America Mensa (over 1/4 of all Region 7 essays)
91 essays Denver (together with Mid-America, almost half of all Reg 7 essays)
45 essays South Dakota (considering their relative size, a fantastic effort)
41 essays High Mountain (ditto the above)
31 essays Central Iowa
23 essays Nebraska/Western Iowa
22 essays Boulder/Front Range
14 essays Wyoming Mountain
13 essays Lincoln
8 essays Plains & Peaks
4 essays North Dakota
3 essays Missouri Ozarks
Sunflower did not participate.

Local chairmen were:

Central Iowa: Marie Mayer
South Dakota: Jessie Thompson
North Dakota: Gay Rawson
Mid-America: Rhonda Johnston
Ozarks: Andrea Miller
Nebraska/Western Iowa: Tara Naughtin
Lincoln: Randy Yoder
Denver: Tim Winkelman
Boulder/Front Range: Jan Redding
Plains & Peaks: Sandy Halby
High Mountain: Donna Scott
Wyoming Mountain: Fred Coles

Winners and amounts won will not be released until the AG.