FGC staff and volunteers are committed to making the YAY Gathering as accessible as possible for Friends with a variety of abilities and needs. To let us know how we can best meet your access needs, please complete the “Accessibility Needs” section of the event registration form in as much detail as needed.

Accessibility at Colombiere Retreat and Conference Center

All activities and housing at the 2025 YAY Gathering will take place in a single, large building, with elevator access between floors. All meeting rooms and public spaces are ADA accessible, and almost all are air-conditioned.

Housing

ADA-accessible rooms and bathrooms are available on site. Please let us know if there are specific features that you need in your assigned housing or bathroom to make it accessible to you.

About half of the bedrooms at Colombiere are air-conditioned. Friends with a health-related need for air-conditioning will have first priority access to these rooms at no extra cost.

A limited amount of refrigerator space is available for storing medication. Please us know on your registration if you need this accommodation. More information about housing is available here.

Financial Accessibility

For many Friends, YAY Gathering is a big financial commitment, and FGC wants to make it possible for you. There are two main types of financial aid – scholarships and workgrants – available for YAY Gathering. We recommend registering by April 28 if you are requesting financial aid. Everyone who registers by this date has equal access to financial aid. After April 28, financial aid will be allocated on a rolling basis as long as funds remain. Visit our Financial Aid page to learn more.

Sensory Needs and Neurodivergence

A Sensory Room will be available on site, equipped with fidget toys, weighted items, adjustable lighting, earphones, and materials of different textures. Any YAY Gathering attender is welcome to make use of this space. We encourage respectful check-ins to negotiate needs if multiple people are using the room at once.

COVID Safety

Masking is required for everyone 6 years and older in our large plenary space (where morning worship and evening programs take place). Friends who need or prefer a higher level of precautions are welcome to ask others to mask when close to them, and may contact the COVID team through the YAY Gathering office if they have any issue with others respecting their request. All YAY Gathering attenders 6 years and older are asked to carry masks with them in order to accommodate requests for masking from others. Read more about COVID safety at YAY.

Low Fragrance Environment

For the safety of attenders with allergies and chemical sensitivities, we ask YAY Gathering attenders to avoid the use of scented products (cologne, perfume, aftershave, scented hand creams, shampoo, conditioner, bug repellent) and bring fragrance-free toiletries for use on site, especially in shared bathrooms. A limited number of fragrance-free toiletries will be available in the YAY Gathering office.

Fragrance Free Products

This is a list of a few fragrance-free products. Many are available in co-ops and more and more mainstream drug, grocery, or department stores. There are products that claim to be fragrance-free or unscented, but include masking fragrances. Avoid any product with “fragrance” in the ingredients list.

Soaps

  • Dr. Bronner’s Soap Liquid unscented
  • Kiss My Face ORIGINAL Olive Oil Soap (green label; others contain fragrance)
  • Kiss My Face Liquid Soap Fragrance Free
  • Tom’s of Maine Moisturizing Soap – Unscented
  • Clearly Natural unscented
  • California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Bodywash
  • Whole Foods Unscented Glycerin Soap
  • Neutrogena unscented
  • Kirk’s Castile fragrance-free bar soap

Shampoos & Conditioners

  • Earth Science Unscented Shampoo and Conditioner
  • Dr Bronner’s Soap (liquid unscented)
  • Magick Botanicals Fragrance Free Shampoo
  • Tom’s of Main Natural Moisturizing unscented
  • California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Bodywash
  • Free & Clear (available in Snyder’s drug stores)
  • Neutrogena unscented (available in drug stories)
  • 365 Fragrance Free (at Whole Foods)

Lotions/Moisturizers

  • Alba Botanicals Very Emollient Unscented & Alba
  • Botanicals Original Unscented
  • Aubrey Organics Ultimate Moist unscented
  • Kiss My Face fragrance-free Olive & Aloe
  • Ecco Bella Holistic Remedies Unscented
  • Nature’s Gate fragrance free Moisturizing Lotion &
  • Nature’s Gate Organics Soy Milk fragrance free
  • Aveeno Fragrance Free (available at most drug stores)
  • Cetaphil Fragrance Free (available at most drug
  • stores)
  • Olive Oil – or any vegetable oil
  • Aloe Vera Gel

Deodorant

  • Kiss My Face fragrance-free
  • Herbal Magic unscented
  • Unscented Deodorant Crystals
  • Pure & Basic Green Tea Unscented Deodorant Stick
  • Arm & Hammer Unscented Stick
  • Almay fragrance-free roll-on or clear gel
  • Tom’s of Maine unscented
  • Deodorant stone
  • Baking soda

Shaving Cream

  • Kiss My Face Moisture Shave fragrance-free
  • Nature’s Gate Organics Soy Milk Fragrance-Free Creamy
  • Shave Gel
  • Aloe vera gel

Sunscreen

  • Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen
  • Badger Zinc Oxide Sunscreen Cream
  • Beyond Coastal Kids Natural Sunscreen
  • Burt’s Bees
  • California Baby Super Sensitive Sunscreen (spray)
  • California Baby Super Sessitive Sunscreen (stick)
  • Kiss My Face Mineral Sunscreen Kids Defense
  • Nature’s Gate Kids Mineral Sunscreen
  • True Natural All Natural Sunscreen Neutral

Hair Gel

  • Desert Essence Pomade Silk
  • Magick Botanicals Hair Styling Gel
  • Alba Ultimate Strong Hold
  • Make your own with unflavored gelatin, or simply use a little aloe vera gel.

Laundry Detergent:

  • Arm & Hammer FabriCare FREE
  • Bio-Pac
  • Natural Value
  • Ecos Free & Clear
  • Enviro-Rite
  • Seventh Generation Free & Clear
  • Shaklee Fresh Laundry Powder & HE Compatible Liquid

Thanks to Twin Cities Friends Meeting for their fragrance-free products list.

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