For those of you attending the retreat, I look forward to meeting and sharing some good recovery times with you. For the others unable to attend this year, for whatever reason, I hope you can find your way here next year. I hear good feedback year after year. One other thing I hear, which the PSRC addresses regularly, are the areas that people wish to see either more of or even something new. Just as in our working recovery, we are always making some sort of progress, the PSRC is always asking how can we make it better each year.

I am attaching two files on this page so that you may see the basic guidelines of the retreat as well as this year’s schedule. Read them and enjoy them. If you have any comments, please reach out to us at info@soundretreat.org.

There are so many things to look forward to at this year’s retreat. Some of it is stated in our theme for this year, Healing Through Grace and Community. Each year this retreat offers healing and recovery for many individuals. There are workshops, recovery meetings, nature viewing, lakeside splashing, friendly conversations, meeting people, and so much more. Get ready for some great healthy fun times and community building while each of us works to strengthen our own personal recovery. And, if you didn’t know, this is the 35th Annual (rendition) of Serenity on the Sound. Yay!

One of the highlights of Serenity on the Sound is the Outer Circle Show and Tell on Friday night.  Everyone gets five minutes to share something they do for fun.  In the past, people have sung, played an instrument and read original poetry.  One person showed us her elaborate, beautiful scrapbooks.  Another shared pictures of his exotic cats. Another read us a favorite children’s book, sharing the pictures as she went.  Things don’t always go as planned but we always have a good time and everyone gets applause.  

Participation is optional, of course, but encouraged.  So, get ready!  We’re looking forward to seeing and hearing what you have to share! Let’s have some great recovery time together.

Can you feel the pull of recovery? Can you imagine the sites and the sounds to enjoy at your retreat? Are you ready to enjoy beautifu Hicks Lake and the Gwinwood Retreat Center this summer? Think about all of the things you will gain as we relieve the pains of our addictions, co-addictions, and co-dependencies.

This is the final week to register and share the talking points about your retreat. Make no mistake, this retreat is for you and your fellow S-recovery friends. Please share the following with your recovery groups and friends this week, one more time:

This is your last chance to register for the Serenity on the Sound retreat, held Thursday to Sunday, August 22-25 in Lacey, WA. This retreat can provide a way to deepen your recovery through workshops, speakers, fellowship, and recreation. Due to a two-week advanced headcount we are required to provide Gwinwood, no walk-ins accepted. Registration closes on August 5th at soundretreat.org.  Reserve your place today! Update as of today, Monday, July 29, 2024. You will now have until Tuesday, August 7, at 11:59 p.m. PDT to register.

The retreat starts in a month. There are two weeks left to register. Be sure to register by August 5 to ensure your spot at the retreat. As always, it will be a great time to deepen and strengthen your own personal recovery.

For this week, please share the following taking points with your groups and friends in S-related Recovery:

There’s still time to secure your spot at the upcoming retreat from Thursday to Sunday, August 22-25, held at the picturesque Gwinwood Retreat Center in Lacey, WA. Enjoy abundant food and comfortable accommodations, or opt to join us on Saturday for engaging workshops and inspiring speakers. Don’t delay – registration closes on August 8th at soundretreat.org. The registration deadline is firm; walk-in registrants will not be accepted, per retreat center rules. Therefore, reserve your place today!

There are only 2 1/2 weeks left until the end of registration. As you are consider registering, take a look at each package option and decide which one is best for you. We have worked to tailor the options to fit recovery folks far and wide. So pick an option and go for it. There will be a lot of terrific recovery growth opportunities to gain.

Here is the script to share with your groups and friends in any type of S-related Recovery program:

At Serenity on the Sound, immerse yourself in the joy of reuniting with both old and new friends. Anticipation builds as retreatants prepare to share their unique talents at the Outer Circle Show and Tell. The heartfelt stories shared by the SAA and COSA speakers will leave a lasting impact. With a perfect blend of work and play, the retreat will lead to a fulfilling experience for all. Don’t miss out – secure your spot by registering at soundretreat.org before the deadline on August 5th.

Remember to register soon. A wonderful retreat awaits you in 2024.

Please share the following paragraph with your fellow recovery buddies and groups. Register now for the best options and to ensure your spot at the camp. We are only a short few weeks from the end of registration. The cutoff this year is August 5, 2024. We are looking forward to another great retreat as the 35th Annual Serenity on the Sound retreat begins on August 22. We look forward to seeing you there as well as deepening our recovery together.

Get ready for delicious meals at Serenity on the Sound, happening August 22-25! Gwinwood Retreat Center’s catering team will serve up classic comfort foods, including buffet-style breakfasts, hearty sandwiches, soups, salads for lunch, and satisfying hot dinners. They’re happy to accommodate vegan and special diets upon request. Make your requests either during the registration process or via email to info@soundretreatorg. To ensure your spot and meals, early registration is essential (no walk-ins due to contractual obligations). Learn more at soundretreat.org.

With each week, this writer is getting a little bit more excited about our upcoming retreat. Personally I can’t wait for it to begin. I know that each time I attend, I am able to grow and build up my own recovery. It is a bit like strengthening on my own armor against this addiction and codependency that I battle. For each of you, your battles may be against different components; however, the tools can work to protect against our common enemy which threatens our life. Being a part of this retreat is one of the great tools we can have in our repertoire.

But enough of my somewhat meandering thoughts. This week, I urge you to let your groups know again about our upcoming retreat, August 22-25, 2024. For this week, I recommend you share the following notes with them:

Join Serenity on the Sound, our annual retreat for SAA and COSA. Enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, swimming, playing on the water, and volleyball. Engage in recovery through workshops, speakers, fellowship, and nature. Experience traditional highlights like the Outer Circle Show and Tell, Candle-Lighting ceremony, Back-To-Basics workshop, and Bonfires (with drumming until 10 pm, weather permitting). Learn more at soundretreat.org.

I can say with confidence, that we, the PSRC, are looking forward to this year. We all enjoy the camaraderie and community. We look forward to seeing many of you soon. Remember to register soon, if not today.

Registration has opened. We are ready for another grand retreat this year coming up on August 22-25. This will be our 35th annual retreat. Keep an eye out for a weekly blog update until the retreat. It’s like the saying, “Keep coming back, it works if you work it. And we do ’cause we’re worth it.”

Serenity on the Sound returns with “Healing Through Grace and Community” at Gwinwood. The retreat offers bunk beds, private rooms, and camping options by the lake for swimming and labyrinth walks. The Puget Sound Retreat Committee is crafting a rich program for SAA/COSA members, spouses, friends, and family, 18 and older. Learn more and register at soundretreat.org.

For this week, please share the following with your groups, during any announcement times:

Join the 35th annual Puget Sound Retreat! The entire retreat center has been reserved for exclusive use. Safety, anonymity, and support are our priorities. The No One Stands Alone (NOSA) team will be available throughout the retreat if you feel like you need additional support. Housing options cater to all genders and identities, and there’s space for campers or tents. Gwinwood also accommodated those with physical limitations. We’re seeking volunteers for workshops and other service opportunities. Learn more and register at soundretreat.org.

Last year we found some glaring deficits in our registration system. This year, 2024, we are doing our own personal inventory to correct those previous issues. What were some of the deficits? Well some of them, not in any particular order, were, as follows: ease of registering, lack of registration confirmations, payment options hard to decipher, and direct follow-up.

To help ensure a much smoother registration process this year, we will be using a professional registration provider. The initial trials with this software seem to answer all of the previous questions. We hope they do. But we also seek your input, once registration opens, to give us your feedback. Just as we addicts, codependents, and co-addicts are never perfected, we will be evaluating other options based on cost and usability for our purposes. It is a reminder of how important the 10th step is. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. Yes, even your PSRC does this step.

So many of you may be wondering when registration opens this year. As you already know, the retreat this year will be from August 22-25. You will have 5 package options from the full 4 day, 3 night package down to a speakers only package. We will have registration up and running no later than June 10, 2024. We are still making some tweaks to be sure we are ready for prime time. Plus this will allow you almost a 2 month registration window.

We now have a very appropriate tagline for this year’s retreat. It is: Healing Through Grace & Community.

As I type these thoughts, I am thinking how appropriate this is as a theme. First, it is through grace that we can find a new and better life. Second, in order to make this new and better life come true, it requires a strong community. Together we create both community and grace.

I know for me personally, grace and community have led to my most recent strong recovery. After having a major failure in my own recovery, I only found my way back via grace and community. First, I had to accept that I was given grace. Who gave me this grace? It was both my higher power as well as the community I rejoined. If you’d like to know more about my own story, I’d love to share with you at this year’s retreat.

Come on out to one or more days. This year the retreat goes from August 22-25. We will have more time to enjoy community and grace this year. No matter if you are new to recovery or have been coming back long or off and on, you can find some strong positive recovery here. This will be our 35th annual retreat.

For me, I have been coming since 2006. Let me share with you that each year brings its own special value. Just come open to receive from your higher power, and you will receive. There are so many opportunities to strengthen and grow your own personal recovery. Better yet, use this time to grow your own community to help ensure stronger recovery, one-day-at-a-time.

Set aside the dates, August 22-25. Please share with others. Remind your recovery friends that this retreat is for anyone from any of the sexual recovery fellowships. We are open and welcoming. It is through grace and community that we can all recover alone and together.