2003 CRN 6th Annual Conference
6TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY RESEARCH NETWORK CONFERENCE
"Powerful Collaborations: Building a Movement for Social Change"
OCTOBER 16-19, 2003
The Audubon Center of the North Woods
Sandstone, Minnesota
General Conference Information
CONFERENCE SITE
The conference will be held at the Audubon Center of the North Woods in Sandstone, Minnesota. There is no ATM machine available on site.
IMPORTANT: The Audubon Center is a Clean Air Act Participant. NO SMOKING is allowed in buildings or on the grounds, EXCEPT one designated outside area.
CHECK-IN / REGISTRATION/PAYMENT
Registration will be located in the Main Office/Dining Hall. Registration will be open during the following hours:
Thursday: 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Friday: 7:00 - 9AM to 12:00 Noon - 2:00 PM
It is expected that your balance be paid in full by September 26, 2003. Payment methods include: on-line through PayPal, by check, money order. All transactions must be made in US dollars.
HOUSING/MEALS
On-Site: Conference participants will stay in Lowry Lodge. The Lodge guestrooms offer 8 single beds, private bath, air-conditioning, and bed linens. Meal plan is included.
Off-Site: If you are being placed in off-site accommodations, you will receive contact information once all Center housing is confirmed. Hotel must be paid directly, and a meal plan must be purchased through the CRN. The Hotel is approximately 12 miles away, and group transportation to and from hotel will be provided.
Meals: Home cooked gourmet meal packages includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, healthy snacks and beverages. If you are staying off-site, you will need to purchase a meals only package for $40 per day. The chef will try to accommodate specific diet requirements.
TRANSPORTATION: PLEASE MAKE RESERVATIONS EARLY and look closely at the airport shuttle times!!
By Air: Get a 10% discount on NorthWest airlines if reserved 30 days in advance (by Sept. 16), 5% thereafter. Call: 1.800.328.1111 WorldFile NM2ZL, 7am – 7 pm CST, M – F.
Airport Shuttle Service: The conference will provide shuttle service to and from the Minneapolis airport at very specific times (see below). The Audubon Center is approximately 2 hours north of the airport. During rush hour, it may take longer. Please plan your trip accordingly, and confirm EARLY to reserve your spot. Renting a car at the airport is the only other possibility for shuttle to and from the airport. Taxi's are prohibitively expensive. Please plan to arrive at least 45 min. before van pick-up at airport, and plan to leave about 3 hours AFTER shuttle time on Sunday.
Meeting the Shuttle: The Shuttle drivers will meet you outside baggage claim turnstile #9 at DOOR #4. The van will have a LOKA sign in the window.
Airport Pick-ups: Thursday, Oct. 16 -- 3:00 PM; 4:30 PM and 7:30 PM.
Friday, Oct. 17 – 11 AM – only.
Leaving Conference: (allow 2 hour travel time + check-in)
Sunday, Oct. 19: leave AC - 11:00 AM arrive at airport 1:00 PM; leave AC 12:00 Noon arrive at airport 2:00 PM; and leave AC 1:00 PM arrive at airport 3:00 PM.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL AIRPORT
Take the Bloomington W5/494 E-W exit from airport (middle to right lanes). Then, staying in the right lane, follow this to the 494 E /Humphrey Airport terminal exit only. Next, these two split, and you want to be in the left lane for the 494 E only exit. Stay on this for almost 2 miles, to the 35 E NORTH exit toward St. Paul. This will take you through St. Paul, and will eventually join with 35 W north of the cities. Follow the instructions below (traveling NORTH) from there on.
From Interstate 35, Take Sandstone exit #. If you are traveling NORTH from Minneapolis/St. Paul, take a left at top of exit, onto County Road 61, cross over the interstate. If you are traveling SOUTH from Duluth area, take a right at top of exit, onto County Road 61.
Go southwest on County road 61 just over two miles. Take a right on County Road 27, cross the Munger bike trail, turn left (Grindstone Lake Road) and go just over three miles. Take a right on County Road 17 (Fox Road). Turn left between the stone pillars (Audubon Road). Follow this road to the office - one mile. (There are BROWN signs guiding you from County Road 61).
PARKING
There is on-site free parking
WEATHER
The weather in Sandstone during the month of October can vary greatly. The average daily temperature can range from 40 - 60 degrees, dropping down to 30's to 40's at night. We could experience rainy, snowy or bright sunny and warm weather, so please bring appropriate clothing.
DRESS
Comfortable and casual!! It is best to wear layers to accommodate both outside temperatures, and warm meeting rooms. You will be walking outside from site to site to the different meeting rooms, through woods and fields, on gravel roads, and over bridges - so please bring sensible and appropriate shoes and outerwear.
PLEASURE TIME
For your pleasure, time will be made available for leisure walks, canoeing, and other outdoor activities. Audubon Center Staff will give a short orientation for people who want to canoe, and give information about hiking trails. Bring hats and gloves if you plan on any outdoor exploring. We will provide some entertainment during the evenings, and there are also local (6 - 10 miles away) pubs and entertainment.
RESOURCE TABLE
Resource/Information tables will be located in the Science classroom of the Lowry Lodge. If you wish to mail any materials in advance for display and/or distribution, please send no more than 2 weeks in advance via UPS ONLY to: Your Name, Community Research Network Conference, Audubon Center, 54165 Audubon Drive, Sandstone, MN 55072. These packages will be stored there until you arrive.
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
Audubon Center’s staff are trained and certified in basic First Aid and CPR. First aid kits are located in each building. For medical emergencies, a telephone is available in the Audubon Center’s office. Please inform the front desk and/or any staff member at the conference to dial 911. The North Pine Medical Center in Sandstone is 8 miles away.
HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY
The Crosby dorm, dining hall, the Lowry Lodge, are handicapped accessible. Trails around the buildings and to nearby classroom areas are accessible. Trails to the other study areas may be difficult, depending on the abilities of the individuals. Please inform staff of any disabilities you may have that require special attention.
MESSAGES
The Audubon Center front desk number is: (320) 245‑2648. This is the number to give people to leave a message for you. The rooms in the lodge do not have phones. There is a message board in the lobby of the Dining Hall Building for general messages, conference changes, personal phone calls, etc. Messages will be delivered to group coordinators at meal times. Emergency calls will, if possible, be delivered immediately. An outgoing ONLY courtesy phone will accept outgoing collect, and credit card calls. It is possible that cell phones will not work here.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ?
If you have any further questions or concerns prior to the conference, please give us a call at 512.585.1507 or 612.871.2576 or email us at crn2003@loka.org. If you need to contact the Loka staff from October 15 - 16, you can call the front desk at the Audubon Center at (320) 245‑2648 or Rachel's cell phone at (512-585.1507) and leave a message with your name, number and a brief message. We will get back to you as soon as we can.
