VMS Retreat, Mettilotsava in Pittsburgh - Update-3

[Guest guest]

Dear Hari Bhaktas,

 

All preparations and planning are in good progress for our VMS annual retreat in

Laurel Hill State Park and Mettilotsava in Sri Venkateshwara Temple in

Pittsburgh during 28-31 May (Memorial Day) weekend. This update provides

information on items to be brought with you for stay in the Laurel Hill State

Park.

 

The cabins have cots but no mattresses or no beddings or no linens. The cots are

of two types, one with springs and the other with flat surface with no springs.

The cots of these two types are evenly distributed in all the cabins in our

site. We are adviced by the camp officials that flattened card board boxes are

needed to put on top of the springs in the cots to provide an even surface upon

which sleeping bags or comforters can be spread for sleeping. Without this flat

surface, the cots with the springs can not be used for sleeping. Hence, please

bring with you sufficient flat card-boards to cover typical cot area of about 7

feet by 3 feet. Even if the card-boards are of small size, they can be tapped

together in the cabin to cover the top surface of the cot. Hence, please bring

the tapes too.

 

Every day, card-board boxes are disposed by grocery stores etc in your towns and

it should be easy to collect enough card board boxes and bring with you the flat

card-board sheets needed for the cots with springs. You need to bring your own

beddings, pillows, linens, towels etc.

 

Please note that the cabins, and none of the buildings have space heating or

ceiling fans. Please bring with you electrical space heaters or portable

elecreical fans if you need them. All the cabins and the buildings have

electricity with numerous electrical out-lets. Weather forecasts at the camp are

available in the internet home-site for this state park, please uprise yourself

of the weather conditions and accordingly bring cloths for warm and cold periods

through out your stay.

 

Hot water is available in the bath rooms for showers and we plan to make

additional hot water in big vessals using gas stoves to speed-up completing the

bathing process. Especially on Sunday, we have to leave our camp site at 6:45 am

for 1.5 hour drive to Sri Venkateshwara Temple to promptly start the

Mettilotsava at 8:30 am at the bottom of the hill. Hence, it is likely that all

the 8 bath showers in our site will be allotted to ladies and girls only in our

group, and all gents and boys need to either utilize near-by public facilities

within the park or just take shower out in the open with hot water we will be

providing in buckets (true Indian style!!) early in the morning. We are buying

sufficient buckets and mugs for this purpose.

 

While there are sufficient electrical lamps inside the buildings, there may not

be enough lights in the out side areas and it may be dark after Sun-set. Please

bring flash lights with you for moving around the site for your selves and your

children. Please also bring with you any first-aid items you or your children

may need, including medicines for bug bites etc. Nearby pharmacies and hospitals

are in Sommerset.

 

There is plenty of cold storage facility in the kitchen and a refrigerator in

one of the cabins if any of your medicines or items require refrigeration.

 

Grocery stores are available within easy drive from our camp site, one or two

even within the park itself.

 

For hotels/motels nearby, the town of Sommerset is away by about 10 miles.

 

This is the first time we are organizing our gathering in a natural setting in a

camping area and hence we ourselves are in a learning mode. Hence, please use

your own commonsense and judgement to prepare yourselves and your families for

having a good, safe and fun times together with all of us.

 

We will provide updates regularly as we move closer to our gathering. Your

cooperation is utmost needed in letting us know your approximate arrival

date/time to plan for food etc and for providing the head-count to the park

officials. It is mandatory for us to provide the list of the names and addresses

of all participants to the park office on the first day of our camp which is 28

May. Hence, please let me know your name, how many adults and children,

addresses and tel nos, expected date and time of arrival. Please provide age of

children which will help organizing childrens activities.

 

Namaskaragalu

 

Bindu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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