In all seriousness, did you ask the organizers?
I have told this to the Anash Kinder contacts we have, but they seem to be in active ignore mode. They didn't even bother to remind us about registering yet and their Whatsapp line was last checked 3 months ago. Anash Kinder are literally the unwanted step-children of Chidon.
I'd message SW, but locals tell me he doesn't respond when they tried. Is it worth piling on at this point? Is there someone else to contact?
Program sponsors perhaps? I'd definitely send him a message, nothing to lose. "Anash Kinder contacts" are local in each place, or working out of the main office?
We spoke.
In short, a shabbaton isn't happening because other programs like young professionals or cteen have people taking achrayis for each group, while Chidon doesn't have that. I'm not entirely sure why that can't be assigned to people, but he doesn't seem to have any interest in bringing back a shabbaton, which is a shame.
He also said it just got too big, and that splitting it into multiple grades would mean too many weeks of work.
He agreed that in it's currently format it's a shlep to expect out of towners to spend 3 days coming in for what the trip is now and suggested making a regional trip instead.
He agreed with me that A"K is an afterthought, but the person who works on it has other duties and can't devote more time to it. He didn't have an answer for why the A"K Whatsapp groups and support were discontinued.
I mentioned what a shame that is, as A"K can use this more than anyone, to which agreed, and said that there really should be an A"K kinder shabbaton and dedicated shliach, though how to get to that point was unclear.
