These are your fellow workers, 2001

This gossip column was written to introduce to one another the workers in Little People, the childcare booth in Community Village, a non-profit sector of the Oregon Country Fair. It includes more information about people who have been with the booth for many years, since I know more about them. Other booths mentioned include Youth, which serves kids who are too old for our booth; Peace and Justice, a collection of political organizers; Spirit, New Age practitioners and celebrants; and the Village Restaurant, tofu purveyors. SO's are Significant Others, people who get a camping pass at the Fair because they know someone. SO's don't get their own tents.

Jain, your booth coordinator, teaches in Oakridge and makes compost in the real world. Her son Forrest is 17, and too cool for the Fair. She'll be camping with Eric from Main Stage Security, and his daughter Jahciel, who won't be arriving until Saturday. Thursday and Friday nights her SO, David, will be using Jahciel's tent. David teaches in Blue River and will be playing with Skeeter's band Friday night, and at the campfire on Saturday.

Sue came to us from Youth Booth when her daughter Jyoti arrived from Calcutta. She's a social worker and war tax resister back in town, and will be camping with Michael from Peace and Justice. Jain, Sue, Jyoti, Michael, and Forrest live together in the purple house in Whiteaker where many of you have been dropping off your eligibility forms and picking up the vouchers for your passes.

Keith and Kevin will be camping with their children Phoebe and Piper, and Keith's SO Andrea R. (ANDrea.) Keith is a parole officer and Kevin teaches at LCC. They're in the process of selling their farm in Fall Creek and moving to Hawaii or River Road. They've been storing our furniture and art supplies between Fairs for many years, and we now wonder what will become of this arrangement.

Paula will be camping with her daughter Sonja, step-daughter Julia, and their buddy Kelsey, who are all on Teen Crew this year. Paula works as a counselor in town and used to be on Village Council. She and Sonja have completed three quilt squares for the Village 25th anniversary banner, and she'll be bringing the sand this year.

Kate will be returning from a one year sabbatical teaching high school physics in Arkansas. She'll be camping with Derry from Holy Cow Village Restaurant, & coordinating field trips with Sue. Kate used to carpool with Jain when she taught in Oakridge, so she already knew a lot about some of you before she started coming to the Fair.

Andrew has more energy than some of us can cope with easily, lives in Portland, and installs solar collectors for a living. He'll be a Waste Warrior Sunday night, assigned, we hope, to the recycling barrels just outside our fence.

Andrea W. (AnDREa) will be bringing the puppet theater back from her new teaching job in L.A. She'll be camping with her daughters Yemaya & Ariel.

Jesi and Ben were new last year--they were at the U of O in physics with Kate. They'll be coordinating New Games again.

Matt and Molly are also returning for their second year, camping with their kids Patrick & Isabel, and nephew Colin at Zenn Acres. They're moving from Grants Pass to Crescent City this summer, where Molly will continue her work with La Leche League. Molly and Kate are designing our new staff schedule and kid sign-in forms.

We have two new workers this year. Emily has been on Teen Crew until now, and will be coordinating face painting for us. She'll be camping at Spirit Booth with her dad Vip, her buddy Mel, and Mel's dad Ravi, who is Forrest's meditation teacher. Ravi has not yet succeeded in persuading Forrest to return to the Fair.

Sarah narrowly chose us over Waste Warriors. She'll be camping with her SO, Katina, and may be joined by her kids Jacob and Maddie on Saturday. She'll be patrolling the recycling barrels with Andrew Sunday night.

Our returning teen is Sifra, who works with Youth for Justice and Young Women's Ritual Theater, and our new teens are Claire and her sister Celeste, and Emily's friend Kristin.

Discretion prevents me from adding more fascinating details at this point. Please let me know what other areas of your lives you'd like elaborated on though for next year's workers' manual.