EcoHouse & Guild Commons

NWEBG South Sound Chapter Presidents Report for 2011

by John Ketola, South Sound Chapter President

I would to like to inform all the “Guild” members and especially the South Sound members about a special project we have been working on for the past 18 months, the house and property at 911 Adams Street SE in downtown Olympia. This special project has all the right components that fit our guild’s mission but also has given us a platform in which we were able to present multiple workshop, have class presentations and use as a comfortable meeting space for event planning. We have been in a fund raising mode since early Summer to solidify our permanent presence of this property. If you missed any of the fund raisers and still want to participate give me a call at 507-1998 or e mail me at jekecob@yahoo.com and I can get you on board as a participating Pioneer.

Through this fund raising effort a new non profit entity has emerged, The Fertile Guild Commons or “The Commons”. The Commons is the vehicle by which the long term maintenance of the property is projected to be housed. We currently have over 20 individuals who have stepped forward and donated over $16,000 and local companies who have contributed in kind materials and labor worth over $50,000. These contributions will help secure the future of this property for the foreseeable future. But it isn’t just about money you can also help out by giving a few hours of your time or expertise on some our goals such as expanding our PermaCulture and cultivating our garden and edible food forest. We are encouraging everyone to come down to The Commons and experience the energy that the grounds garden and edible food forest produce. You can also go online and follow our progress at www.olycommons.org.

Seeking Pioneer Partners for The EcoHouse

More than a year in the making, we are proud to announce the opening of “The Commons” and our EcoHouse office and demonstration site in downtown Olympia.  We’ll celebrate this wonderful space, and acknowledge our Members investments there, during a “New Frontier Gala” Sunday September 25, 4:00 – 8:00 pm at the site.  RSVP now.

Reservations are required, and there is no cost for the dinner & music event.  We hope you can come celebrate this manifestation of our sustainable dreams!

If you do, we’ll be asking you to become a Pioneer Partner – to invest money, time and intelligence to help secure and develop The Commons for a future we can believe in.  There are lots of ways to support this pioneering effort:

• “Founders” support the process through active leadership and significant investments of money and/or time to help pull it all together and shape The Commons future
• “Settlers” provide regular financial support and volunteer energy – either general help or sweat equity projects to fulfill our “Wish List”
• “Barn-Raisers” give what they can and show up to help in any way shape  or form, and we welcome it all!

RSVP for the New Frontier Gala!

See our Wish List of Materials, Services and Volunteers!

What’s our Vision?

To demonstrate sustainability on a neighborhood scale, we created this special place at the heart of our City, right in the middle of our block:  “The Commons” where people are naturally called to gather, celebrate, contribute and join together for common good beyond our individual self-interests.  In coming months and years, it will continue to grow and thrive, becoming a hotbed of education for green building and permaculture; a center we people can see and participate in sustainable living, urban food production and a local green economy; a pulsing heart of the community which will become the change we want to see in the world.  It’s a physical manifestation of our shared dream for a healthy, abundant sustainable world.  We hope you will join us!