Memorial Day Week-end: taking stock of what we've got -- and --

Broken fence, lawn to mow.
Home Sweet Home

Our Core Volunteers are away this weekend. And, me? I’m re-learning how to live, again, up in the mountains, writing to my heart’s content like I could not away from here. My spirit wasn’t free in town. If I had any doubts, I have truly proven to myself – I am country! As you know, “you can take the girl out of the country, but….”

Sue has gone to a grandson’s graduation. Sam and his wife, Kathy, are doing their church and family stuff in Hagerstown, U.S.A. Kathy was a dear to come out here and help Sam when he put up our falling down front gutters. (But she wouldn't allow pictures.) On an earlier trip of Sam’s she sent us some treats; flowers, plants and berries to add to our re-newed gardening efforts. We are grateful that she came, grateful for her gifts – and – that she so generously loans Sam to us as she does. Lorrie – love -- is putting her time in at a job she detests. Board member, Lisa, is creatively and skillfully giving generously of her time to develop our #2 blog, soon to be posted, as family needs allow.

This week the mountain laurel has been in full bloom -- gorgeous. Sue has been out here working with me, gardening and general fixing up. She also has been putting in some quality time building relationships in town for gifts in kind donations; friend building with generous potential donors; some of that with Lorrie as a team, some on her own. Lorrie and Sue have started to develop fundraising strategies. As a team, we are very new at this -- and -- challenged, but having fun learning. This past week Lorrie was recovering from pneumonia. So Sue went off on her own, building community support for the remodeling project. And we missed Sam – and – Kathy.



It smelled so bad

Five hours later, ta da!

In Sue’s role as the head of our Habitat For Healing Remodeling Project – with fourteen years behind her as manager of the Non-Profit Building Supply -- I think she must know everyone in town who has recycle - able treasures for us. I don’t know what we’d do without her as my right arm – though she customarily sits on my left. Her qualifications are purr-fect.

I, personally, am blessed beyond measure to have Sue on this peace-building, community-building journey with me. (For example, take a look at her hard work with the refrigerator cleaning project. She probably put in a full day’s work, taking down the old frig that was all smelly from old, decaying food left in it from the fire. Could this kind of effort be the reason for which she got her master's degree in public health?

That frig sure was a "health hazard." I'm glad somebody had some cleaning skill. I did not and was overwhelmed by the task.) While everyone is away -- and, I’m out here writing – and – contemplating our next program and project development steps, it has gotten clear to me that it’s time for an updated assessment of what we’ve accomplished so far this year with our Habit For Healing Remodeling Project and our other New Horizons Small “Zones of Peace” Project.

In the past year while I was sojourning in town and away from the mountain, we accomplished an enormous amount, contributing our community bridge-building efforts to local issues, and being wonderfully rewarded by the results achieved. The "Saving Centennial Mission" was the best!

Now that we’ve accomplished that – and – gotten our Habitat For Healing Remodeling Project off the ground, we need to take a step back and ask ourselves as well as others, “How can we now best help our various communities; locally, regionally and nationally, expand their small "zones of peace"? Where do we want to go from here? We’ve got a dream; building small "zones of peace" everywhere. Now, how do we best manifest it?”

Having trotted around Ecuador for about six weeks last year, without knowing a word of Spanish, I, for one, am fairly certain that I’d just as soon do our building in the U.S.A. for now and keep my passport on idle for awhile. Traveling to South America brought me a enhanced appreciation for things American. Even, if we aren’t quite perfect here.

From the mountains,
Anastasia

Lots to learn -- at least for me

We are a bit over a month now into our Habitat For Healing Remodeling Project. So much has happened – and we’ve just begun. First and foremost, we (or could it just be me) need to learn how to adequately and appropriately show our appreciation to our contributors. Me – I’m inclined to gush, thinking I’m not offering enough back. So that’s one of many things I’ve got to learn as we move ahead; how to show gratitude in just the right way. Changing light bulbs might be another.

Imagine, then (with my tendency to not say or do enough – or, go to the other extreme and say or do too much) how I responded to Remodeling Project Manager, Sue deVeer, taking down a ceiling fan/light from her house – and – putting it up – totally on her own in my fire damaged kitchen.

Oh, my. Oh my. I was so impressed and bursting with gratitude all over the place for her lighting up that kitchen that been in the dark since the fire. On this same subject – gratitude – one apparently appropriate way for our appreciation to be expressed – mine, Sue’s, our board, supporters and etc. etc. – is that shortly we will be posting a “volunteer appreciation” spot on this blog.

And -- postings to acknowledge our donors – cash and gifts in kind – by linking from our blog to their online sites, if they permit. I do hope I learn to get it that that just might be enough, even more than enough -- for our donors who, no doubt, are giving from their hearts anyway.

Thanking everyone, again, for your generosity,
Anastasia

Re-building Our Home-Base

April 15 was the kick-off date for our Habit For Healing Remodeling Project.

Since then we have been putting much time and muscle out here to bring our training and healing center back to life and rekindle our original vision. By April 30, we had made enough progress for me, Exec Director, Anastasia, to move back into my quarters. What a welcome home experience that was!

Now -- we are almost full-steam ahead for the remodeling project. Give or take many needs from energetic onsite volunteers, gifts in kind and $$, we feel embraced by abundance already. Contributions of time and labor (and lol) by Remodeling Project Mgr, Sue deVeer (upward of 50 hours for her in April), hard working, dedicated volunteer, Wilbur Smith, and our dear friend and plumber, Tony, got my living quarters ready.

Friday night April 30, I slept in my own bed. I woke up the next morning to the birds chirping, busy, busy in conversation with one another, and the wind in the trees rustling. I felt like I was in heaven!

A week later, we had four volunteers (plus me) diligently working away. Wow! Community- building are we – our small “zone of peace” in Harpers Ferry. We got much accomplished. Sam Hawbaker, our friend from Hagerstown, brought his strong armed, carpenter friend wiz, “Anonymous.” Together they installed two very heavy, brand new huge doors (donated to our cause). That was an all day job.

Sue, Wilbur and I spent the day raking leaves, planting flowers and plants etc. etc., Stage one of bringing our sacred fire circle back to life. Etc. etc. etc.

We are so happy and blessed at our Habitat For Healing.

Hope you will soon be joining us out here soon.

New Horizons' Announces "Habitat for Healing" Remodeling Plan

PRESS RELEASE for immediate release April 12, 2010
HARPER’S FERRY, WV. APRIL 12, 2010:

New Horizons Support Network, Inc., sponsors of the Small “Zones of Peace” Project, announced plans today for its next major endeavor, the Habitat For Healing Remodeling Project. The renovation undertaking will ensure that New Horizons will, once again, have a home base for its community development and violence prevention training programs. New Horizons is a locally-based, non-profit organization, offering leadership training through its Small “Zones Of Peace” Project initiative. It will officially launch the project April 15, 2010.

Throughout the coming months, an all out remodeling effort will be carried forth at New Horizons’ Harpers Ferry Retreat Center, the Habitat For Healing. With volunteer leaders organizing into project teams, full-scale renovations will be geared toward cleaning up, repairing and a general fixing up of the existing structure as well as the surrounding grounds. New Horizons has been blessed with a beautiful mountainside property on which to develop a training and retreat center.

Set on ten mostly wooded acres just above the C & O Canal, the Potomac River and the historic town of Harpers’ Ferry, the New Horizons’ Habitat For Healing retreat center is one of the organizations’ greatest joys as well as one of its biggest challenges. In its naturally restorative environment, the Center will offer community development education, leadership training, community gatherings, camping and hiking. New Horizons’ Small “Zones Of Peace” Executive Director and Founder,

Anastasia Rosen-Jones who makes her home at the center, conceived of the current projects during the years 1998 – 2003 while she was blind (See Frederick News Post, August 6, 2006, page C1). As a result of her blindness during those years, Ms. Rosen-Jones took an eight year sabbatical from her work as a psychotherapist and an about-to-be published author. New Horizons programs ceased to operate at this point and the Harpers’ Ferry project faced a major setback.

In 2008 a fire on the property held up remodeling efforts. Nonetheless, Ms. Rosen-Jones was far from idle during her time of blindness. Unable to see clearly she speaks of these years as a period of “awe;” a time in which, unable to see even her own face, she found herself able to constantly see the presence and hear the voice of a Higher Source. From this experience Ms. Rosen-Jones felt herself being guided to create small “zones of peace” in communities, if she should ever be able to have her eyesight restored.

After a series of seven eye surgeries restored her eyesight in 2003, Ms. Rosen-Jones began creating what was to become the Small “Zones Of Peace” non-profit project. In 2006 she formally established the initiative’s present mission which is still evolving.

The Small “Zones of Peace” Project takes its name from a quote of Mahatma Gandhi about “carving out zones of peace in our personal relations where violence and deceit won’t be used.” In every action that is carried out in the initiative’s programs, especially on the land, the day-to-day principles of this quote are consistently applied. They are most obvious, however, when individuals and groups team up to work at the retreat center, or as Ms. Rosen-Jones does, living on the land, modeling and teaching the essentials of “awe.”

In order to carry forth Ms. Rosen-Jones’ vision and re-establish the retreat center for New Horizons’ programs, volunteers who are willing to work on the remodeling project as well as monetary donations to purchase building materials are now being requested. The goal is for the Habitat For Healing remodeling project to be completed in time for a re-opening set for April, 2011.

Contact: Sue DeVeer, Project Manager, suedeveer@juno.com

Official welcome to New Horizons Small “Zones of Peace” online conversation

This is an official welcome to New Horizons Small "Zones of Peace" online conversation, one of our next important steps in community building through dialogue. We have been developing and refining our community conversations model since 2003 with notable success and profound impact. Beginning, now, after seven years of diligently refining our model, we are ready to take our prototype to the next level! So here we are online as part of that effort.

Recently, we conducted a feasibility study with key leaders in Frederick County, Maryland. The study revealed a natural connection between our model and the needs of this community. Most significantly the study showed that, not only does an interest in community dialogue exist here, but there is a deeply-felt yearning; an actual hunger for meaningful, heartfelt dialogue (face-to-face). Of course, people are not after just "talking" like good ole hangin’ out (give me those bygone halcyon days of the sixties). 

Who has much time for that these days? But conversations with a purpose that can lead to positively altering the "system" of our community; dialogue that can help build a better healthier community within which – someday – violence could even be obsolete. Our prototype is viable enough to aid such an effort. (Its roots are actually in a successful prison rehabilitation model. )

Last month’s Think Tank Luncheon was a beginning. It moved our feasibility study forward, bringing together some of the key leaders interviewed in our study with one another. However, in the midst of conversation and a bit of unforeseen disruption from the food service, we barely scratched the surface of what we need and can do to make Frederick an exceptional community. 

Our next Think Tank Luncheon Meeting (information posted below) will further that somewhat incomplete exchange – and – take it to the next level. However, this online blog can also be vitally important in moving our mission forward. Please join us online and give us your input on how you think the Small "Zones Of Peace" (quoted from Gandhi) – "I’ve Got A Dream" (quoted, of course, from Martin Luther King, Jr.) Conversations Project can help our local community (and others) build small "zones of peace."

On my end I will be adding to this conversation with contributions from my forthcoming book, The Middle East Crisis In My Backyard, (stories and excerpted pieces to be posted on a separate, yet to come, blog site) to enhance our dialogue here. My commitment is to help build "exceptional communities" everywhere. I will be writing about that definition and how "exceptional leadership" creates this type of community. 

So, if you believe you are an exceptional leader or aspire to be one, please be sure to join our online conversation. We will be intent on getting to the heart of that issue in response to your comments and questions.

-Anastasia

Community Leaders Think Tank Luncheon Meeting Brown Bag Lunch (Free of Charge)

Thursday, January 21, 2010 Noon – 2:00 p.m. Frederick Friends Meeting House 723 N. Market Street Frederick, Maryland 21701

For Information and Reservations Call: Anastasia 240.409.5347

Recommendations for "Think Tank" invitees is encouraged.

(No program disruptions because of our misjudging the lunch serving plans. This time bring your own.)

The “I’ve Got A Dream” Conversations Project Community Leaders Think Tank

Dear Friend,

Frederick is a wonderful place to work and call home. Many of our energetic leaders exemplify cooperation and compromise. Too often, however, our community is divided by disagreements and divisions between divergent groups who do not understand each other’s concerns and may even distrust one another.

Controversies are sometimes aired in public, revealing that our beloved Frederick is rife with challenges.
Without a systematic approach and forward-thinking strategies, polarized groups frequently remain
entrenched.

We, the organizers of the “I’ve Got A Dream” Conversations Project, are committed to finding productive ways to build bridges for unity. We see the potential here in Frederick for a more exceptional community.

To accomplish this end, it is important that all segments of the community be represented from the beginning.

Thus, we are reaching out to key leaders in Frederick, such as yourself, who are making a difference. To achieve this vision, it is important that everyone take the initiative.

We invite you to participate in the “I’ve Got A Dream” Conversations Project, Community Leaders Think Tank Luncheon. We have been developing and refining our community conversations model since 2003 with notable success and profound impact.

Recently, we have been conducting feasibility studies with key leaders in Frederick County. The feasibility studies have revealed a natural connection between our model and the needs of this community. We seek to share results from our study and ask key leaders such as yourself to share your insights, strengths, and personal vision for building bridges in our community.

The main intent of the meeting will be to form a Guiding Coalition for the “I’ve Got A Dream” Conversations Project. We hope you and your organization will consider participating in: Community Leaders Think Tank Luncheon Meeting Thursday, December 3, 2009 Dutch’s Daughter Restaurant. Noon – 2:00 p.m. (Check in from 11:30 a.m.)

Please register by completing the Registration Form and mailing along with your check to “Encourage Life” P.O. Box 1871, Frederick, MD 21702.

To request a registration form, please call 202-345-0396. RSVP deadline: November 24, 2009.

The cost for the Think Tank Meeting is $50 ($30 of this is tax deductible.)

We look forward to working with you on this project, and to hearing your dreams for Frederick.

Your ideas and inspiration are important. Each of us is carrying a piece of the solution towards reaching our common goals.

We look forward to seeing you.