The River Reporter
Thursday, December 19, 1985, p. 20

Innisfree Growth Laboratory

MILANVILLE - At a recent meeting of its board of directors, Innisfree Corporation announced plans for sponsoring a biannual program at its camp facility. The Innisfree Growth Laboratory is modeled after a similar program which was sponsored by Trenton State College in New Jersey for over 25 years. It will retain many of the same encounter group facilitators who were employed by the college.

Encounter groups are designed to help relatively normal, healthy people gain psychological insight to their behavior and interactions, and to give participants an opportunity to experiment with new and more productive ways of expressing themselves and communicating in a "laboratory" group of 10 to 12 people.

According to Tom Rue, the coordinator of the new program, the college's weekend workshops had been held in Milanville since October of 1984 and have typically involved groups of around 60 people per weekend. Rue holds an M.A. degree in counseling services from Rider College and a B.A. in psychology from Trenton State.

Rue presented a 20 page proposal to Innisfree at the November 30th meeting, detailing the new program. Participants will pay $100 each to attend the weekend workshop each May and September. Unter Trenton State's sponsorship, participants paid only $10, with a student activities fund picking up the difference. Foundation, corporate, and private funding is being sought for financial aid to individuals who would otherwise be unable to attend, and to reduce the fee charged per person.

Also to raise revenues for the new program, a "Comet party" will be hosted at Innisfree, on April 11, 1986, "to commemorate the 1986 visitation of the Commet Halley." The Friday night party will be open to the public, and will be promoted as a drug-and-alcohol-free experience suitable for both adults and adolescents. The night of Apriul 11th was chosen because that is when the comet will past closest to the earth. A donation of $5.00 per person will be requested, as well as a covered dish or other edible contribution. The highlight of the party will be the showing of the videotaped film Night of the Comet, followed by folk music.

Participants in the Innisfree Growth Lab will be drawn from among the graduate students and alumni of the college's program, as well as through advertising.

Local residents who are interested in participating in the Innisfree Growth Lab, attending the Comet party on April 11th, or involving themselves with other activities at Innisfree, may contact Tom Rue at 717/729-7762.