How many times have each of us known in our hearts that if we could just get “permission” to build a labyrinth in the first place, we could raise the funds, find the volunteers, and secure the materials to make it happen? Whether we want to build the labyrinth in a park, church, hospital, school, or prison, we must somehow paint the right picture so the person in charge can “see” the finished project and its benefits and ultimately say “yes” to our request.

The video will be approximately 22 minutes in length and will be given free to every current and future member of The Labyrinth Society. It will also be available to others for a nominal fee to cover the cost of duplication and shipping. The goal is that Creating the Path will speak directly to decision makers, moving them to stand in support of your proposed labyrinth project.

This video will highlight successful labyrinth projects from around the country. An elementary school principal will talk about how the labyrinth on the grounds helped change the attitudes of some of the roughest students in the school. A hospital administrator will speak of the peace and hope the labyrinth in the prayer garden has brought to the families and caregivers of patients in the hospice [or oncology] wing. A park superintendent will speak to the care and respect given to a rogue labyrinth that was created in his park and now draws visitors from all over the area. A prison warden will tell of the healing nature of a labyrinth set in a maximum-security unit. A minister will attest to the labyrinth’s amazing ability to reunite his divided congregation.

The description of the video makes it sound like the labyrinth projects have been chosen and the footage shot, but that is not the case. The stories in the paragraph above are fictitious, designed to paint the picture so you can see what we’re looking for in the way of testimonials.

Send us the information about your project via our nomination form. Introduce us to the ultimate decision maker who gave your project the go-ahead. Then we’ll interview the decision-maker, find out why he or she thinks the project was a success, and perhaps include your project in the video.

We know many projects will be nominated for inclusion in the video. The criteria below will be used to make the ultimate choices of two projects per category:

1. There are five categories for the projects: schools, churches, hospitals/hospices, public spaces (parks, office buildings), and prisons.

2. The decision-maker must be available, not only for an initial interview on the phone, but be willing to participate in an on-screen interview. This person should be very verbal and excited about the project.

3.  The most important criterion will be the story itself.

4. We must be able to tape end-users of the labyrinth (except in the case of the prison).

5. The chosen projects will be from around the United States (not all in the northeast, for example). They will also represent a variety of builders and designs.

1. Deadline for nominations – February 28, 2008.

2. March 1 through April 30 – The applications will be reviewed by the committee and three to five projects in each category will be chosen for interviews.

3. May 1 through August 31 – The final projects will be chosen and filming will take place.

4. September 1 through October 31 – editing.

Funding for the project has been incredible. The Labyrinth Society has raised $16,081.50  to date for this project. We still need approximately $4,000.00 to ensure that we have enough to complete the project and make the required number of copies. In addition, we are seeking airline miles for travel to the various locations and hoping for spaghetti dinners and a bunk bed for the videographer and interviewer when the filming begins.

For more information on the project, please contact Gael Hancock, video project chair, 702.614.5320 or 702.523.3911 - email: labyrinths@cox.net.