As you can see from the photo above, Newo is fresh off a company retreat. From Oct. 26-28, more than 20 team members, board members, family and friends gathered at Camp Van Es, located midway between Camrose and Edmonton, in the aptly named Unity Lodge.
We cooked, ate and washed dishes together. We slept under handmade quilts and congregated by the fire. We took walks through the aspen woods, glimpsed pileated woodpeckers and grouse, and wandered the shores of Cooking Lake.
We played together; there was frisbee, spike ball (see the video below for a spirited demonstration) wrestling and board games.
We strengthened our relationships; while electronics and the web allow us to collaborate from homes a hundred kilometres apart, there’s nothing quite like the meaningful conversations that spring up between us as we share a physical space.
We looked to the future, asking the question, “What does it mean to be a good citizen of Newo?” We mulled over core principles such as “newo” itself (which encompasses mind, body, spirit and emotion), wahkohtowin and wêyôtan, and affirmed our collective commitment to creating a culture that allows us to bring our whole selves to work.
Finally, we took part in ceremony together; Joby Yellowdirt smudged, prayed and sang a traditional healing song by the lakeshore to close out the retreat. His voice echoed out over the still water, the sun surreptitiously shining down on us from behind the clouds.
We hope you enjoy the following highlight reel of our time together, edited by Maven and featuring music by Garnet’s sibling band, The Borch Brothers.