Thoughts from the Board Chair
"I was ordained in 1983 to the Peace Ministry at Kirkridge. It was very unusual for the United Church of Christ to ordain someone to a specialized ministry like this. I think it speaks to the integrity of Kirkridge and our good friends in many places that it was able to happen." - Jo Clare Hartsig
Thoughts from the Board Chair Sally Z. Hare What's a woman who lives on the South Carolina coast doing as the Chair of
the Kirkridge Board of Trustees? A good question! And one I ask myself sometimes! Another question I ask myself is how did I come to have the privilege of serving as a Board member for this very special place? I first heard of Kirkridge about 25 years ago from Parker J. Palmer, who talked about it in such glowing terms that I knew I wanted to go there. That didn't happen until more than a decade later, when Executive Director Jean Richardson invited me to visit. Now after years of attending programs and facilitating retreats and serving on the Board, I find myself in the enviable position of leading a remarkable Board of Trustees in this 74th year of Kirkridge's existence. During a winter Board retreat, we talked about our commitment to living with a gentle footprint on our planet, our growing understanding of that way of living as the most important social justice issue of our time. And we realized again at our recent May meeting that Kirkridge has always been involved in climate change - the kind of climate change that makes social justice possible. Kirkridge is about creating space where we can each do our own important inner work in order to take our outer work into the world. That's a tall order - and a paradox - as only individuals can we do that inner work - and yet that work is too hard to do alone. So we need a safe place - and Kirkridge has been that for many of us for a long time. Although the faces and words may have changed over the past 74 years, the commitment to this place, to keeping this very special land of quiet and beauty as a safe space for individuals to find that intersection of spirituality and social justice, has not changed. It is stronger than ever. And I am grateful to be here.
Contact Stacey Hotchkin at 610-588-0249 for more information!
Together It's Possible Recently, Together It's Possible (TIP) won the Distinguished Service Award
from the Arc of Lehigh Valley. It was the first time a group won the award instead of an individual. We are so grateful for the support and attention this group has been awarded, and look forward to improving the lives of those with intellectual disabilities and autism.
Click here to learn more about TIP's story and vision
Start in Close: The School at Kirkridge For us, the first step to starting anything is to listen to your heart. In a democratic school, a school with rules made by children, without grades, we think you have to start with trusting the children and guiding their inquiry. But it's not as easy as you might think. When we started, we asked for advice from other democratic schools on what we could expect on the first day. The reply was, simply, "chaos." And with that, we began. When this week ends, so will the school year and the school that we opened with anxiety, joy, and hope. We learned a lot in this year. We learned that coercion doesn't work. We learned that schedules and rules are important. We learned that some days would be for tears of joy and others days would be just for tears. There was chaos, but not the kind you would imagine.
We learned from the chaos, much as we all learn in life. Some things were amazing successes: the morning ritual of signing in and playing, silent
reading, daily math instruction, group hikes, Tuesday afternoon cooking, scientific research, geography of the world, and the wildlife that was right outside our door. We held a Science Fair, a Poetry Slam, and went on field trips to extend our learning experience outside of school. Many parents and people interested in our school volunteered their time to offer activities ranging from rocket science to scavenger hunts, tai chi, and art. However, some things were amazingly difficult, like navigating personal relationships and conflicts. Some of these conversations were extraordinary. Other days these conversations were ordinary. No matter what, though, these conversations were filled with questions, investigations, surprise, and a deeper understanding of each other's interests and needs.
We don't know exactly what is next, but we know deep down that we have to start with that first step. And as we take these next steps, we will check our hearts, and the wise words of Elizabeth Hainstock, "Never do for a child what s/he is capable of doing for themselves." Ultimately, this year, we learned that children are capable of so very much. With gratitude, Janine, Barb, Kelly, and Pat
Recipes from the Kirkridge Kitchen Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad with Balsamic Glaze Ingredients: 1 5-ounce package baby arugula 8 cups 3/4-inch cubes seedless watermelon 1 7-ounce package feta cheese, crumbled 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze
For complete recipe, please click here.
Upcoming Programs
To learn more and to register, please visit www.kirkridge.org
Thoughts from the Board Chair Sally Z. Hare What's a woman who lives on the South Carolina coast doing as the Chair of
the Kirkridge Board of Trustees? A good question! And one I ask myself sometimes! Another question I ask myself is how did I come to have the privilege of serving as a Board member for this very special place? I first heard of Kirkridge about 25 years ago from Parker J. Palmer, who talked about it in such glowing terms that I knew I wanted to go there. That didn't happen until more than a decade later, when Executive Director Jean Richardson invited me to visit. Now after years of attending programs and facilitating retreats and serving on the Board, I find myself in the enviable position of leading a remarkable Board of Trustees in this 74th year of Kirkridge's existence. During a winter Board retreat, we talked about our commitment to living with a gentle footprint on our planet, our growing understanding of that way of living as the most important social justice issue of our time. And we realized again at our recent May meeting that Kirkridge has always been involved in climate change - the kind of climate change that makes social justice possible. Kirkridge is about creating space where we can each do our own important inner work in order to take our outer work into the world. That's a tall order - and a paradox - as only individuals can we do that inner work - and yet that work is too hard to do alone. So we need a safe place - and Kirkridge has been that for many of us for a long time. Although the faces and words may have changed over the past 74 years, the commitment to this place, to keeping this very special land of quiet and beauty as a safe space for individuals to find that intersection of spirituality and social justice, has not changed. It is stronger than ever. And I am grateful to be here.
Contact Stacey Hotchkin at 610-588-0249 for more information!
Together It's Possible Recently, Together It's Possible (TIP) won the Distinguished Service Award
from the Arc of Lehigh Valley. It was the first time a group won the award instead of an individual. We are so grateful for the support and attention this group has been awarded, and look forward to improving the lives of those with intellectual disabilities and autism.
Click here to learn more about TIP's story and vision
Start in Close: The School at Kirkridge For us, the first step to starting anything is to listen to your heart. In a democratic school, a school with rules made by children, without grades, we think you have to start with trusting the children and guiding their inquiry. But it's not as easy as you might think. When we started, we asked for advice from other democratic schools on what we could expect on the first day. The reply was, simply, "chaos." And with that, we began. When this week ends, so will the school year and the school that we opened with anxiety, joy, and hope. We learned a lot in this year. We learned that coercion doesn't work. We learned that schedules and rules are important. We learned that some days would be for tears of joy and others days would be just for tears. There was chaos, but not the kind you would imagine.
We learned from the chaos, much as we all learn in life. Some things were amazing successes: the morning ritual of signing in and playing, silent
reading, daily math instruction, group hikes, Tuesday afternoon cooking, scientific research, geography of the world, and the wildlife that was right outside our door. We held a Science Fair, a Poetry Slam, and went on field trips to extend our learning experience outside of school. Many parents and people interested in our school volunteered their time to offer activities ranging from rocket science to scavenger hunts, tai chi, and art. However, some things were amazingly difficult, like navigating personal relationships and conflicts. Some of these conversations were extraordinary. Other days these conversations were ordinary. No matter what, though, these conversations were filled with questions, investigations, surprise, and a deeper understanding of each other's interests and needs.
We don't know exactly what is next, but we know deep down that we have to start with that first step. And as we take these next steps, we will check our hearts, and the wise words of Elizabeth Hainstock, "Never do for a child what s/he is capable of doing for themselves." Ultimately, this year, we learned that children are capable of so very much. With gratitude, Janine, Barb, Kelly, and Pat
Recipes from the Kirkridge Kitchen Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad with Balsamic Glaze Ingredients: 1 5-ounce package baby arugula 8 cups 3/4-inch cubes seedless watermelon 1 7-ounce package feta cheese, crumbled 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze
For complete recipe, please click here.
Upcoming Programs
To learn more and to register, please visit www.kirkridge.org
