BFA, OHUG, OFF & ON - Alphabet Soup

 The Barter Faire, from its inception, has been a great boon to this community! It is the source from which has sprung, the Cultural Project com­munity center, the Community Con­sciousness Fund, much Co-op funding and many other things. This writing is an attempt by Buffalo Mazzetti to clarify the history of the Faire and its attendant legal structure, Okanogan Highlands United Gathering (OHUG): what it was, what it did and what happened to it. 

History of Our Faire - Buffalo Takes Us Back In Time

 The Faire was started by Skeeter (Michael Pilarski, Friends of the Trees Society) in 1973 to help folks be able to trade their surplus produce and goods for things they needed to help them through the winter. The first faire was near Lake Chelan because a large communal community (Antakarana Circle or Circle A.) had grown near Manson. After that first event, the Faire moved farther North into the Okanogan Highlands. Overtime, the organizers of the faire formed an unincorporated group that called itself The Barter Faire Association. As the Faire moved around, it became obvious to organiz­ers that hauling the infrastructure was a tremendous challenge of logistics. Mov­ing outhouses, water barrels, signs, gate houses etc, seemed like too much work for a three day festival. Also there was the issue of finding a site that was large enough and landowners who were willing to allow this event to occur on their property.

 A core group of folks decided to purchase land, thereby eliminating the need to find a willing landowner, negotiate terms of land use and move all that stuff around! The Barter Faire Association entered into a lease with an option to buy the site on the Cayuse Mountain Road in 1993. That year the first Okanogan Barter Faire was held on the current property and it was decided that this site could work for future events.

 According to Washington State Law, the "Barter Faire Association" could not purchase the land. We had to create an incorporated entity recognized by the state. Thus, in 1994, the OHUG, Ltd., a Washington State corporation, was born. We chose at that time to become a 'for-profit' corporation both because it was expedient (hippies and paperwork rarely mix well) and because we didn't know what we were doing. Now we could legally enter into a contract to buy and own the Barter Faire land. However, the first hurdle facing us was, "who are the stockholders" of this Corporation? Our interpretation of "stockholders" was revolutionary. Probably for the first time in Washington History, stockholders in a "for profit" corporation existed with­out the exchange of cash. Our definition of "stockholders" meant those folks who volunteered 40 hours of time each year to events held on the land. Each stock­holder held one share for one year. An effort was made to inform members, who volunteered all those hours; they were qualified to be stockholders. However, we garnered very little response from volunteers. Essentially, that part of the plan fell apart because no one really saw any value in exercising a stockholder's vote. People didn't have the time or en­ergy, besides everything was working fine... The Board of Directors meet regularly, the land got paid for, noxious weed control is maintained, improvements are made and most importantly, an annual faire is held!

OFF & ON

 Through the years it became obvious that as an organization, OHUG was in fact a NOT-for-profit-organization which was formed and existed for the betterment of our community. It also became evident that the responsibilities of both maintaining the land and put­ting on an annual faire were too great a burden on too few people. Every year we not only maintained and improved the property, we also donated too many non-profit organizations, needy families and scholarship funds. So, in council, those folks who had continued to envi­sion, design and create the space for the Okanogan Family Barter Faire, decided to create a 501 c4 non profit corporation, called the "Okanogan Neighbors." As the Barter Faire became the Okanogan Family Faire [OFF], those who took care of the property became Okanogan Neighbors [ON]. Together we figura­tively, metaphorically and realistically became OFF and ON!

 On July 26, 2005, The Okanogan Highlands United Gatherings Ltd. was dissolved and all assets were transferred to the new ON. ON would take care of the land. OFF would man­age the Faire. Voting Members (Stock­holders) of O.N. have essentially the same requirements: they volunteer at least 20 hours per year on the land or at the Barter Faire or for the land improve­ment. There are considerations for hon­orary memberships. A Board of Direc­tors is selected by the membership, and is elected at an annual membership meeting.

 Make Your Membership Count!

 To make sure you are recognized as a member, Fill in a membership form application available at the Okanogan River Natural Food Coop, or come to the "Volunteer Bus" during Faire time. Sign up as a 20 hour volunteer or take on a coordinating position.

 Please sign in at the Bus or fill out an application. This will insure that you receive notice of meetings, votes and important decisions that govern our land and the event. Keep an eye out in the Co-op for the next Okanogan Neighbors meeting. Come participate. This is true democracy. The Barter Faire and most of the world, is run by those who show up. Be there now.