Highlights of 2022
Ecological Activism by Marjorie McCoy
Words of Wisdom by Rabbi Zoe
Winter 2023
Holiday Concert in Aurora House Dorothy, Diane, and KatherineJohn Carroll, Board President
Chris Fish-Acker, Secretary
William Vogt, Treasurer
David Clark, Assistant Treasurer
Anna Rée
Ben Matlock
Jos Smeele
Roy Tau
Jacquelyn Bieringer
Mary Kornman
Kristina Labaty - Philip Balabala
The New Year has started with lovely events, a sense of renewal, and hope. The past year was filled with new experiences such as getting to know so many wonderful people in our community; dealing with a covid outbreak, and seeing excellent work all around.
One of the heartening happenings this year has been the strengthening of the Coordination Circle, which takes on leadership responsibilities for the whole community. We meet each week to ponder issues from small to large with faith, honor, and good intentions, keeping the people who live and work here at the center of our concerns. As part of this group, I wish you a wonderful 2023!
Coordination Circle \
Chris Fish-Acker
Jacquelyn Bieringer
Jo-An Ellithorpe
Rosie Edwards
There are the countless ways in which we show our care for one another and our community: a smile, words of kindness, silently holding hands, genuinely listening to our friends, transforming our negative thoughts into positive ones, selflessly tending a garden, choosing to help when we question if we have any more to give, and upholding an image of the highest in each person here. May these deeds of 2022 become the foundation of love which will carry us through 2023. With much warmth and gratitude
Jacquelyn Bieringer
As I reflect on the past year, the past experiences, so much comes to mind. Smiling faces of those in our community, greetings from new friends and shared memories with old friends. As always there are ups and there are downs but what stands out the most to me is that we, as a community faced every obstacle together, every happy moment, every joyous occasion, we did it together! This, to me is a true testament of what community is about. Happy New Year- the best is yet to come!
Jo-An EllithorpeEnvironmental justice and ecological healing have been on my radar since I helped plan my college’s first Earth Day celebration in April 1970. Then, for many years, the concerns of family, education and career took center stage. Yes, I recycled, became a vegan and drove small Asian cars – and eventually only a Prius would do. But I didn’t really let in the reality of climate devastation and species extinction until I couldn’t deny it any longer. And then I was paralyzed by dread, shame and grief. My Buddhist practice eventually led to ways of working through my despair, and of addressing the seemingly intractable issues involved in ecological activism.
Almost two years ago, I helped gather an ad hoc local group of persons struggling with the same issues. We each believed that people of Spirit share a unique responsibility to care for the Earth and all its beings. We formed in the Upper Hudson Valley
and Berkshires an affiliate of the international environmental justice group GreenFaith (greenfaith.org). In October 2021, our local group led a march by more than 100 spiritual/ religious leaders and their congregants over the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in support of climate justice. Just last October, we held a march in Albany, again attended by over 100 people from area religious/spiritual communities. We’re doing it again in Albany this March, in conjunction with the nationwide demonstration currently being organized by noted author and environmentalist Bill McKibben’s Third Act, which focuses on what we in our elder years bring to the climate table (thirdact.org). In the meantime, our Rivers and Mountains GreenFaith contingent continues to hold local forums, reach out to spiritual communities, and educate ordinary people like us. Interested in joining us?
Check out www.rivers-mountains-greenfaith.orgif only to see our gorgeous website!
Photos taken by Lee Everett
“We each believed that people of spirit share a unique responsibility to care for the earth and all its beings”
Gary grew up in the Adirondacks in northern New York State until he finished college in his early 20’s. He studied at SUNY Delhi and Stony Brook during the Vietnam War and Civil Rights Movements. At Stony Brook, he switched from studying engineering science to mathematics. It was there, he met Joel Kobran, who introduced him to Anthroposophy in 1970.
In 1986, Gary and family moved from Spring Valley, where he previously worked at Weleda as a production manager, to Columbia County to become the Hawthorne Valley Farm Store manager.
He then worked in administration at the Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School, where three of four of his stepchildren attended the school for several years. He subsequently started the Center for Social Research, a branch of the Hawthorne Valley Association. Its main activities involved promoting and exploring Rudolf Steiner’s perspectives on a threefold social organism, which includes associative economics, democratic equality, and educational freedom. Together with Joel, they started The Threefold Review, a bi-annual journal on Steiner’s social ideas, and the “Hope Through Education” scholarship fund. These operated for 14 years and 4 years, respectively.
Gary has 4 stepchildren through his marriage with his former wife, Jade Lamb, three of whom attended HVWS for part of their education. His youngest stepchild, Emily, had 4 children who
were raised mainly in Guatemala and attended HVS for all or part of their education. Over a 10year period, Gary travelled to Guatemala once or twice a year. He became well acquainted with the history of Guatemala and its people.
As part of the local Social Science Section of the Anthroposophical Society, Gary and others studied Rudolf Steiner’s perspectives on land over a two-year period in support of others in the area who were exploring possibilities of starting a senior living situation with elder care. Shortly after that study was completed, Camphill Copake started its own search for property to begin what is now Camphill Ghent. Subsequently, Gary was part of an early group of people that toured the current property and met with the previous owner.
Gary has tons of friends and acquaintances here already. He would love to give talks about his research on economics, culture, and technology. Camphill Ghent seems the perfect fit both for Gary and for the Community of Camphill Ghent.
Carol has been a Home Health Aide for 36 years. She came in during the pandemic, so we did not get to properly recognize this wonderful lady.
After working for 25 years at another elder support facility, she came to us with stunning recommendations.
Carol likes to help and be around people, especially those who cannot help themselves like the elderly. She likes to build relationships, which is why she appreciates Camphill Ghent, where she can help someone by painting their nails, and reading the newspaper to them. She finds it fun. The ratio, she feels, allows for a nice family style atmosphere. We can take meals outside and have lunch, and the work environment is clean and tidy. She wishes she found Camphill Ghent much earlier.
Carol is engaged with her family, spends time with her grandchildren, and likes to garden. She has four grandchildren from her two children. She likes to ride her bike. She spends time with her mom who is 85 and going strong. She used to go to Lake George with her kids and camp and now takes the occasional cruise. She loves spaghetti, and her favorite color is blue. Carol’s birthday is April 6.
Carol is so satisfied with the work environment that she would like to remain here until she retires.
She has worked in many other elder support facilities, but Carol says, “this is the best place I have ever worked, and I find it wonderful here.” Thank you, Carol, for your enthusiasm and all that you contribute!
Rabbi Zoe offered an in-service in December for staff called Befriending Death. In our culture, the topic of death and dying is not comfortable now to broach or access. She loves that in our community we are so loving and embracing. Also, she appreciates that we always want to learn and improve ourselves. We are faced with having to think about and deal with end of life more so than a community that supports children or some other life phase. She experiences us as so sensitive and loving and caring that the person who is at the end of life may have the blessing of a beautiful end of life experience.
She shared some of her experiences and things she had learned with our “holy” community. The most important thing is to show up and be there for someone at the end of life. She has arrived with an idea of what should happen and realized that what she thinks she is going there to do is not what is most needed. Arriving without an agenda is best. Sometimes just sitting there and being and keeping company with the person is best, since they are going through their own very mysterious process. Being there as a comfort for the person who is dying and their family member is very important. She has found it best to tune in and find out how she can be most helpful. Setting herself aside is a very helpful approach in these moments.
We also need to take care of ourselves, which can be one of the hardest things, particularly if our loved one is near the end of life. It is very crucial to speak to your loved one as though they hear every word. Speak from your heart and say what you truly feel.
On the other hand, it is good to know when to hang onto emotions if the person would be disturbed by seeing you in distress; these can be processed at a later time.
“Speak from your heart and say what you truly feel”
On New Year’s Eve at the festive gathering, we asked everyone to share their highlights from 2022.
“ It is a highlight for me that we are all able to gather together again and have festivals together and meet each other.”
Christina Bould“I remember the fresh sea air on Long Island and love it!”
Peggy Goldman“We have all this initiative going on with the bees and even have a new greenhouse, so there is a lot of new activity on the land. Seeing this develop is exciting.”
John Carlson“Since moving into Aurora House, I have found everyone so very friendly there!”
Margrit Metraux“We had the Shepherd’s Play and gathered around the tree. Santa came!”
Louis
“It is very special to me that I have been able to spend more time with my grandsons. When I was living down in Florida, I did not have an opportunity to see them very often, so it is important to me that I can now get to know them so much better.”
Jo Wescott
Camphill Ghent is a vibrant residential community for elders that offers a meaningful quality of life and a rich, active social program designed to support residents in maintaining their independence and joy of living.
Camphill Ghent's mission is sustained by donors like you - Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our residents!
“Being able to travel again has been a real highlight for me. During Covid, I was unsure if I would still be able to travel once it had all calmed down. I am so glad that I have managed to go to Puerto Rico and to Iceland! That was wonderful!”
Barb Cooley
To help support Camphill Ghent through donations or to subscribe to our email list, contact Ivy Sharron,
E: ivysharron@camphillghent.org
P. (518) 721-8400
2542 State Route 66, Chatham, NY 12037
