Progress Continues…

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If you haven’t been able to make it down to Raven-Wolf yet, you might wonder what, if anything, is happening there. Progress, that’s what’s happening – slow, steady, progress.

It would always be nice to have lots of hands to help, but the group at Raven-Wolf is dedicated to the upkeep and continued progress of improving the Land. These past several weekends down there were an example of that.

There are four cabins on the Land, besides a trailer or two, that have to be maintained just like a house needs upkeep. A couple of the cabins are maintained by permanent members but there are a couple that are also unoccupied. The upkeep of these falls to those who maintain the Land and any volunteers who are willing to lend a hand.

The first cabin that you see, when you drive up the hill, is the one called the “Elder” cabin. Named for the last permanent resident, an Elder in the Craft, it was the second one to be built on the Land close to 20 years ago.

After the Land officially reopened in the Spring of 2015, sites had to be cleaned of trash and leftovers from previous occupants. Later that season, the buildings were given a new coat of paint and basic repairs have been made since then. Not much else has been done, due to lack of funds and the capable hands of volunteers.

Over the course of the last several work/camping weekends down on the Land, and thanks to the hands of a number of wonderful people, the old shingles were taken off, new paper was tacked down, and new shingles were put in place on the Elder cabin. This past weekend caulking was done to seal up gaps and seams.

A big “Thank you!” goes out to: Mary Borden, Jennifer Borden, Aleda Borden, Rhonda Savage, Brian Nichols, Jacquie Daugherty, and especially Brian Daugherty, who you see in the picture putting the shingles on. We are very grateful for all your time and efforts!

RW = Elder Roof

RW - Elder Roof 2

This past weekend, they also got the kids involved in helping on the Land. Even the smallest were taught how use the manual log-splitter to split wood and then shown how to stack wood. Practical knowledge is a good thing.

There are still five work/camping weekends left in the season down at Raven-Wolf. The next one is September 14th – 16th. Free camping is still being offered to any who are willing to lend a hand however they are able. If you think you would be interested in spending a weekend, or even an afternoon, in Nature on a beautiful site, contact the Coordinator, Mary T. Borden, at 740-241-9340. You can call or text. If you do text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it. She can tell you when the gates will open and even give you directions, if you need them. Come to the forest, you’ll be glad you did!

Woods

Love & Blessed Be

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is usually thought of a day, or weekend, when we remember and honor those who have served in the military of our country. We take a moment to pay homage to those who fought and died so that the rest of us can remain free. This is as it should be.

As we take those moments to honor our members of the military, I would like to take a moment to honor another group of people. Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary has been around for 25 years now. During the course of that time, we have seen many people come and go. The ones that we miss the most are the ones who came, gave and who have now crossed the Bridge of Light. To these fine souls, I have come this day to give recognition and pay tribute.

Lew MorrisThe first time I had the pleasure of meeting Lew Morris was when he and his wife, Kathy, drove onto the Sanctuary Land at the time of our first Gathering there. They were driving a truck with 55-gallon barrels of water on it because they had heard we had no water on site yet and they wanted to help. That act of generosity allowed people to have water to wash and cook that otherwise might not have been available.
Lew was a gentle soul who did whatever he was able and always had good conversation for those who sat to talk with him. In 2005, he was the first of our losses and is missed.
ChuckMA27552739-0001A number of years would roll by before we would suffer another loss. Chuck Pugh, known to many as “Lord Pan” or just “Pan” had a very creative and inventive mind. That ability helped immensely in the beginning stages of building on the Land when money was scarce. Taking downed wood, lashing it together to make a framework, he then hung tarps over the frame and created the first outhouses for use on the Land. Almost any building standing on the Land he had a hand in building.
Sadly, we lost Pan in August, 2010. The restoration of the Land will not quite be the same without him. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War, having served in the Navy at the time.
HawkOnly a little over two years would pass before we would lose another of the Land’s builders. In September, 2012, Paul Emler, known to almost everyone as “Hawk” took that journey across the Bridge of Light. His campsite remains empty and the Land seems so empty without his presence. With Pan, Hawk use his own brand of creativity to create benches, torch towers for the Lower Ritual Circle, a playground for the children and so much more. We honor that creativity and will miss that smile.
John LindbergMere months would go by when we would receive word that another of the original people was lost to us. John Lindberg, a veteran of the Vietnam War and Wiccan, returned to Summerland in December, 2012. From the beginning, John helped however he was able and always had very good ideas to share. We are saddened by the loss of this spiritual Brother.
Lady CerridwenDebra Lindberg, known to everyone as Lady Cerridwen or “Lady C”, just recently left us. In October, 2014, she slipped away from us. Without the help of this woman and her mother, the Land may not have continued to exist. When our land contract was almost up and we needed funding to continue, Cerridwen convinced her mother to loan us the money so the Land would be ours. She continued to aid those on the Land with wise counsel for years. We owe her so much. She will sorely be missed as we restore the Land to the sacred space it was meant to be.

We are all growing older and our lives are so impermanent. Recognition needs to be given, not just on one particular day of the year, but often, to those who contribute to our lives in their own special way.

This holds true for the many who are still with us in this physical reality, but have chosen not to return, for whatever reason. There have been so many who have contribute to the establishment and building of this sacred space we call Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary. Although there are too many names to mention here, we know who you are and we remember and honor your contribution to this very special place. Perhaps some day, you will decide to return so that we can tell you how much we appreciate what you have done to create what we have. In the meantime, “Thank you.”

As we continue to build, restore, and revive the Land, it is good to remember the foundation upon which this was built and all who contributed to it. Blessed Memorial Day.

Love & Blessed Be

Elder Maya