Now we can talk about Thanksgiving!!! Inviting one and all

ANNUAL THANKSGIVING GATHERING!!!
Everyone Invited and Welcome
It's that Time---Time to Share our Bounty & Gratitude
Thanksgiving @ Bear's Den
Thursday November 28, 2024
10AM-4PM
http://www.bearsdencenter.org/lodge.html
Please join us for our annual Thanksgiving gathering and pot luck feast at Bear’s Den. This event is open for all! Couples, families, singles, and friends. It is so much fun, there are so many great people who attend and an amazing variety and amount of food.

Thanksgiving means different things for everyone. For me, it is about Family and Gratitude (and Food). Please join us to spend this Thanksgiving with your Imagine and Lets Take a Hike from Suburbia Family. We will share the day with a wide-ranging group of interesting people who reflect the diverse cultures, society and community we are all gratefully a part of. We will share conversations, activities and gratitude and warmth with others. Here we will place focus on our similarities, what brings us together and what we are thankful for.

And, of course FOOD - this isn't just about Thanksgiving food. Please bring something that you would like to share that represents you, your family, your culture, or that you just like.

We will have a fire in the fireplace and maybe one outside along with games and an optional short hike…and, of course FOOD (did I say that already?).

Bear's Den Lodge, adjoining the "Roller Coaster" section of the AT, is owned by the PATC. This is an invitation to a Thanksgiving Day celebration hosted inside and outside of this wonderful stone structure.

What we will do:
There will be no firm plan or schedule. You can arrive and leave during the period that the Lodge is "ours," technically 10AM-4PM. We will aim to share a Thanksgiving meal around 1PM. During our time together we will be free to socialize, visit the AT overlook, go on a short or little longer hike along the AT, take a ramble or a stroll on the trail north or south from the overlook and otherwise enjoy shared experience. We will be mindful of all others we encounter during our stay and to leave the state of the Lodge and it's surrounds the way we found it or better. In the past we have had the opportunity to share our meal with several hikers who were staying at the Hostel. They all had great stories.

What we will bring:
Food. We will share. All types of food are welcome. I will be offering a whole turkey and ham as my contribution. The Lodge kitchen is fully-equipped, so reheating and even preparing some dishes from scratch is a possibility though there might be competition for space. Please bring a dish (and maybe a small desert) to share. Send Sue or me a message when you RSVP to let me know what you are bringing so we can try to keep track.
Contribution:
We ask that each participant contribute $10 ($5 for each additional guest) toward the Lodge rental fee at the time of arrival.
What we will not bring:
Dogs. Though leashed dogs are permitted on the property and the AT, pets of any kind are unfortunately not allowed within the Lodge itself.
Alcohol. Alcohol is not allowed in the Lodge.
Where we will park:
The parking lot below the Lodge. Not the parking lot when you first turn onto Blue Ridge Mountain Rd. Please use this parking lot for the day and then walk up the remainder of the road to the Lodge itself. The lodge requests a $3.00 parking fee, deposited in the box in the lot.
Questions, suggestions:
We are looking forward to a another great gathering, some wonderful discussions and, of course, great food. Please feel free to reach out to us about any concerns, ideas and needs and we will try to address them. We want to have a safe and healthy time for all and ensure that the Lodge property remains in great condition during and at the end of our stay. I know that others will step up to assist and advise as they see fit. This is very much appreciated.
*** This event is happening, rain or shine! ***
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With my RSVP, I hereby stipulate that I am physically sound to participate in this event.
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