On Monday, August 15th, 2011 I get to meet the team of doctors involved in the project & go through the research project's rules, conditions, & expectations. I just received some information so here it is:

Terms of Engagement of Participants in the Soil Ingestion Research Project

The research is based upon fecal and urine sampling in a controlled environment where restrictions are necessary in regard to food intake, participation in outdoor food collection, preparation and ingestion of food and living within an encampment of approximately 10 participants and researchers.  On arrival participants will be required to sign a consent form and will be given instructions on their personal collection of fecal and urine samples which will be coded and sent for laboratory analysis in Ottawa.

• Arrival of participants occurs on August 17PM at English Bay Treaty Grounds and remaining at the camp until August 31PM for a period of 13 days.
• Participants will not be able to leave the camp, unless an emergency arises and if so under continuous supervision while going out of camp.  This will not be encouraged and there will also be restrictions on outside visitors to the camp.
• As a group, participants must be prepared to go on field trips to a number of environmental sites for which transportation will be arranged, likely returning to the camp daily.  Participants must be prepared with appropriate clothing and meals, prepared in conjunction with the Outfitter, to be taken on participant trips.
• Participants will need to provide their own tent, sleeping gear, lamp, change of clothing, personal hygienic supplies including insect repellant – everything they themselves need other than food, dishes and common facilities.
• Commodes and washing facilities will be arranged for participants to the extent possible.
• Meals will be of high quality utilizing to the extent possible local natural and traditional food sources and herbs, root vegetables are a natural source of soil particle ingestion.
• Strictly prohibited are convenience foods such as pop, donuts, beverages containing alcohol and tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco and snuff) and others which will be explained at the camp by the researchers.
• Participants are expected to participate fully in locating and obtaining natural foods, preparing food and clean up and maintenance of the camp as will be arranged by the researchers.
• An Outfitter will be engaged to provide equipment including cooking and eating tinsels, tent for meals and other provisioning equipment.
• PARTICIPANTS MUST STAY FOR THE TOTAL DURATION – ANYONE WHO LEAVES SAMPLING CANNOT BE OF USE IN THE RESEARCH STUDY.
• Details to answer more specific questions will become available when participants arrive at the camp.

All I know is I'm bringing my own toilet & it hasn't been the first time I bathed in Cold Lake, we practically lived there as kids......ahhhhhh, the memories.


As each day gets closer, I'm getting excited & really praying my son & his girlfriend can participate ~ it'll be a great opportunity for these two young people & great experience as a family.