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🎵 Everything I want Wintreath to be
Is now comin' true especially to me
And the reason is clear, it's because you are here
You're all the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen 🎵

There were times in our first months where I wondered if we'd still be around after a year. A region founded by a relative nobody and a small group of friends, on lofty principles and ideals, with no clue how we were going to be otherwise different from the region we had left? But here we are seven years later, as strong and vibrant as ever, still holding those lofty ideals in our hearts, and more than anything it's because of you, the people who make up our community. It's hard to believe that we've been hear 7 years, but at the same time it's amazing to think that enough people have wanted to be here and believed in us for us to not only survive that long, but to thrive.

For that I truly feel grateful...I feel that Wintreath is the most worthwhile thing I've ever created or led, because I know the difference that it's made in people's lives. It's a place where people have met close friends and significant others, a place where people have felt comfortable bringing their friends and significant others from elsewhere, a place where people feel comfortable to be more than just a person behind a screen...even a place where people have overcome negative attitudes about sex because of traumatic events in their lives. For all that we've been and done over the years, when I think about it those are the things that have made Wintreath such a worthwhile thing to me. And apparently these are the things that make it a worthwhile thing to you, too.

Over the past month, I've been asking people what had made Wintreath special to them, and with the help of our new Citizens' Council, I've drafted a document summarizing those things...and both surprisingly and not surprisingly, it's all about one thing in Wintreath: the community. By coincidence, it's ready to be presented now on our 7th birthday!

What is Wintreath?

What is Wintreath?
Wintreath is a place where you can do just about anything, from fun and games to roleplay to taking part in our own self-governance, but that’s only the surface of who we are. When I ask our regulars what makes Wintreath special to them, almost every answer is about the community: the relationships that empower it, the ideals and principles that reflect who we are, and the things we do together as friends.

In fact, those answers can be summarized in a few points. These points explain who we are, what we do, and why we’re here. They’re the core of our community which everything else revolves around. They’re the ideals and principles that we dedicate ourselves to realizing, even if we occasionally fall short. It’s what it means to be Wintrean.

Wintreath as a Home
Wintreath is a drama-free and close-knit home where you’re free to be yourself, without judgement, and be treated with civility and respect so long as you treat others in kind. It’s a place where people from all backgrounds and walks of life have the opportunity to make an impact and develop the friendships that drive our community.

Wintreath as a Family
Our relationships are the heart of our community and what makes our home special to those who are a part of it. Often we make friends with our fellow Wintreans, but sometimes we bring our friends from elsewhere to share our home with us. Either way, Wintreath is a place to hang out with our friends and share ourselves with each other.

Wintreath as a Life
Our games, contests, and culture are top-notch, but at the end of the day the best thing about them is that they’re with our friends and comrades. They’re just another way we have fun together and enjoy each others’ company. Our fun and games revolve around our community, not the other way around, because win or lose it’s always fun playing with people you like.

For those who are new, I hope this has helped you understand the group that you're now a part of. For those that have been around awhile, I hope this has been a reminder that you're part of something special to a lot of people for these reasons. We are not perfect, we sometimes fall short of our ideals, and it can be easy to become disheartened when that happens. However, I hope that remembering these things will encourage us to overcome those times, embrace each other, and rededicate ourselves to what we love about our community...so that the name Wintrean continues to represent something special.

I know that we're not perfect...we've had breathtaking highs and disheartening lows over the past year. We've seen new members become fixtures of our community, and old members leave in despair. We've seen times of hectic activity and times we were nearly dead. But after all that, we're still ready to rededicate ourselves to be the type of community I first dreamed of 7 years ago, and that says something about us...about who we are as a community. And who we are is why we're still here after 7 years...and why I hope we'll be here another 7 years plus many more.

🎂🎊 Happy birthday, Wintreath, and thanks to everyone who has helped make it what it is today! 🎊🎂

With love,
-Winter

Happy birthday, Wintreath! Hard to believe it’s been seven years.

Thank You. Wintreath makes the Internet/world a lot better. It's a place of gathering, the highs and lows don't deduct from that. Everyone's always welcome here. I find that invaluable.

All I would like to say is: thank you and happy birthday to Wintreath! Without Wintreath and it's compassionate and diverse community, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I am therefore truly honored to be a member of the region, as well as a fixture of it's community.

Happy birthday, Wintreath! Wintreath has played a significant role in my formative years, and it's still a community I keep coming back to even as life continues on.

Happy birthday, Wintreath! It's been a great 5 years for me. I've never felt the need to move or join another region. Wintreath is all I need!

Happy birthday, Wintreath, and thank you, Winter, for allowing this place to exist and grow as it did and does. I look forward to further cooperate here with others for the benefit of us all.