Spinsterhaven_Spring1996.pdf
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- Spinsterhaven_Spring1996.pdf
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Pre· er ty of the Ce1,ler
Volume VII,
Spinsterhaven
P.O. Box 718
Fayetteville, AR 72702
ANNUAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
Our annual meeting will be held at the Women's Project
15th Annual Retreat at Lake Fort Smith on Saturday, April
13th.
CALENDAR
March 8-9 ... Table at Women's Conference
10-22 ... Shewolf Land Workshop
30 ... • Video Party
April 13 ... Annual Meeting
25 . . . Board Meeting
27 . . . Video Party
May
4 . . . Plant Ann's tree on land
25 . . . Video Party
June
27 . . . Board Meeting
29 . . . Video Party
? . . . Watch for table at Gay Pride
celebration in the park.
July
27 ... Video Party
Aug.
22 . . . Board Meeting
31 . . . Video Party
THE BOARD
Seeking women who are interested
in
learning about community building, and
would like to serve on the board for
Spinsterhaven. Terms of office are three
years.
THE LAND
Seeking women who are at least age 55 or
are disabled, and want to plan a secure
future within a women's community. Call or
write and let's get acquainted.
Number 1
Spring 1996
FUND RAISERS
We gave a dance in December and
raised just over $500. We had a
Video Party in January which cleared
$80. Nancy Edelman has
volunteered her home for future
video parties, and if you noticed the
calendar, we have scheduled the last
Saturday in each month as Video
Party night, a cheap fun Saturday
night for the end of the month. They
are from 7 to 9 and cost $5.00.
Snacks are fre,e. A gourmet dinner is
in the works for our next special
event.
ROADWORK
We have applied for a $5000 grant
from Lesbian National Resources to
build a road on the land. It is
planned to reach the site location of
the first dwelling. Sustana is waiting
with her own mobile home to move
onto that site when it is ready. Then
the gatehouse will be vacant and
waiting for the next resident or
residents at Spinsterhaven. It is a
gradual process that has to be done
as we are able to raise the necessary
funds.
GEORGIA IN ACCIDENT
Georgia Northwind, our staff person has
resigned for health reasons. She was in an
automobile accident and received extensive
head injuries. She says it has affected her
short-term memory, and it may be a while
before she is able to resume the busy life she
led before the accident. She is much better
now and has just begun to take part in her
Flea Market again, which is a joint venture
with other women. The community is
helping _her hold it together while she
recooperates, but Georgia says that if it
weren't for Kathy and her loving and caring
support she doesn't think she would have
made it.
#
av
FROM TIIE LAND
I have been I!vlng on the land for just ov~
five months now. I've seen summer thund~r ffff'
storms that dumpled hundreds of gallons of
water. I've seen 18 inches of snow, and ten
degrees below zero. I've also seen it so dry
the well was literally empty.
But the sun always comes out after the
thunder storms, and the snowplows the road
after a snow. The house has central heating
so I found out it was 10 below from the
radio. And yes, I have had the water truck
fill the well.
Being the first resident here, it is sort of
like pioneering, but I wish I could relate to
you the peace and tranquility of living here.
Although I am a plant person myself (as
opposed to an animal person) and talk with
NEW BOARD MEMBER
the trees and grass and wind, I think part of
Carol Kretzmann is a very welcomed
the magic here is the birds and wild animals.
addition to the Spinsterhaven board. Along
We
have a small herd of deer (7) who graze
with her experience in feminist process, she
in
the
yard at dawn. If I go outside they look
brings an aura of peace and gentleness that
me
in
the
eye witb an e.xpression that says,
- rubs off on the rest of us. It helps make the
"Now
you
aren't going to be a nuisance and
meetings productive and positive, leaving us
frighten
us
off are you?" So I slip back inside
feeling good about ourselves, and feeling like
the
house
and
close the door as quietly as
we have done a good job.
possible. After the snow I discovered so
many different kinds of tracks and
footprints that I realized I only see a very
small portion of who lives here.
The board serves as my community right
now as we work together to try and get the
space ready for more women, but I look
forward to welcoming other retiring women,
IN MEMORIUM
and us building a community of our own.
We have lost two women this year who were
And perhaps raising a garden together.
very important to us. Mary Grace was the
•
In Sisterhood, Sustana
very first president of the board of directors
for Spinsterhaven. She was living in the
Washington, DC area when she died on
October 18th. We have planted a blossoming
SPECIAL PEOPLE
cherry tree on the land in her memory. Ann Some of our members spent a long, hard day
Gallmeyer was also one of our early board
on October 28, getting Spinsterhaven ready
members. She was living in Oregon when she for the winter. They built a pump house for
died November 9th. We plan to honor her on our new pump and dug ditches. Nancy
Arbor day, Saturday, March 2 by planting a
Vaughn, Carol, Linda, Guthrie, Karin and
tree on the land in her memory. All
Barbara labored outside while Sustana made
members and friends are welcome.
a pot of soup and fixed lunch for everyone.
We also want to thank all you you who have
The Goddess Was Called Sid That Day
donated money, materials and time for
Almost all the artwork in this issue was
Spinsterhaven. Nancy Vaughn has given
done by Sid Goodenough.
It all started
beyond the call of duty working on the water
when I said, "I need a picture
of a deer."
system. And Nancy Edelman, who chaired
She heard me and drew a deer, just like
the dance committee and provides a place
that. Of course I couldn't
resist
asking
for the Video Parties, has reached that
for more, even that beautiful
road. I was
category too. Thank you all.
amazed that
whatever
I asked for,
I got.
FROMTHE VICE PREZ
It used to be that Spinsterhaven
was
just one of the groups I was involved
in. Now, since we have a real person
living in a real place that we are
still
setting up, it is a center of
vital
interest
for me because I like
Sustana. She has added immensely to
our connnunity and to Spinsterhaven.
Now we aren't just planning for a
theoretical
set of old women in a
community we can't quite imagine. We
are realizing
that each.woman will add
energy and abilities
unique to her,
each will have her own needs and desires,
and that if we just do one step
at a time, we'll adapt and attract
the
energy and resources
that the universe
provides only for specific
people. As
feminists,
we realize
that retirement
is the chance many of us get to start
living by our own rules, with all the
energy that is freed up by escaping
from the patriarchy.
Sustana'snotold,
and I doubt that any of the women who
come to live at Spinsterhaven
will be
old. We welcome the wisdom and freedom
our residents
will bring to Northwest
Arkansas.
My newest interest
is in helping to
create a federation
of 50l{c)3womens
groups in Arkansas. Yesterday I met with
a woman from D.C. who belongs to the
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.
They are a research group who
think that Arkansas is ripe for such a
women's federation.
It only takes 15
women's groups to qualify.
If we all
sign up as members, we could have people
"give at the office"
as they do for
United Way. The prospects look promasing
and the long term results
can make a
real difference
for all the women's
organizations
in Arkansas.
Karin Wiggins
SHEWOLF'S
WORKSHOP
Shewolf of Woman's Land in Madisonville
LA, is holding her fourth annual two-week
long camping and workshops event on her
land. The dates are March 10-21, but she
wants applications
ASAP. There is a $25
a week charge to help cover food costs.
Some of the workshops are: Carpentry,
ECO Systems, Solar Planning, Community
Building,
a Perennial Garden
. ForPreparing
Writing
Publication,
and more. You '
will be camping with women from at least
eight other Women's Lands across the US.
Some of the Spinsterhaven
board
members are going to attend the last week
We will leave here on the 15th. If you
are interested,
and want a ride, call
and see if we still
have room. Shewolf's
number is (504) 892-0765.
WMEN'SPROJECT
ANNUAL
RETREAT
The retreat
runs from Friday, April 12
through Sunday 14th, at Lake Fort Smith
near Mountainburg on HWY71.
Suzanne Pharr will speak on HowTo Move
Your Political
Message Throughciiltural
Work.
Bring your own bedding and food, plus
there will be one shared meal. You are asked
to contribute
to that also. A-Ebringbread
for 8, F-K bring salad for 8, L-Q deserts,
and R-Z snacks.
The cost is $25 to stay in the dorms for
the whole week-end, $12 if you stay elsewhere. It is $7 a day to just attend the
meetings.
Send your check for the dorm
in by March 29 to Women's Project,
224
Main Street,
Little
Rock, AR 72206. Hope
to see you there.
S P I N S T E RHAVE N
Memb-ership Fees:
Join Now! Please
$5 low-income
S
YO U !
consider making a monthly pledge.
$10 basic
$25 Contributor
Name:
--------------------------Address:
-------------------------Mail to Spinsterhaven,
Inc. P.O.
NEED
Box 718,
Date:
Telephone:
Fayetteville,
AR 72702.
$50 Sponsor
P.O. Box 718
Fayetteville,
AR 72702
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