Rebirth, Repair, then Rebuild! |
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Taking a Moment to Reflect |
It has been six months since we were evacuated and wildfire swept over and through our land. Join us as we take a moment to reflect on this marker in time. |
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Looking Back & Moving Forward |
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September 7, 2020. A day and night that none of us will soon forget. It is hard to believe that six months have passed since Breitenbush was forced to evacuate. The next morning brought the Lionshead Fire to our property and the road to the springs has been closed ever since. The destruction of our buildings and trees has been difficult to recover from. But as with everything at Breitenbush, we and the land are strong, and together we survive. Today we are feeling blessed to still call Breitenbush Hot Springs home; blessed that all of our community and guests safely made it off the land during the evacuation; blessed that we have the opportunity to rebuild.
Like many hard times in life, this event has put us into a healing process and given us an opportunity for rebirth. The current community is much smaller, but we are strong. The work around repairing infrastructure, rebuild planning, debris and tree removal and mitigating risks will be ongoing in our multi-year rebuilding phase. This work will take a lot of energy, a lot of time, and a lot of money. There is an excitement in the air and faith that not only will we survive, we will thrive. As we walk around the land, even with the changes to the landscape all around, the future of Breitenbush Hot Springs looks quite bright. The challenges ahead of us are daunting, but we look forward to the day we are able to reopen our gate and welcome you back.
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"What we love about Breitenbush is the inventiveness behind the scene, the harmonious incorporation of old and new elements to create something beautiful." - Breitenbush Guest |
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Our Little Group is Expanding |
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The Breitenbush Co-op is now a small group of staff made up of workers and members of the Co-op, the Board of Directors and the management team of Business Director, Finance Controller and Facilities Director. The energy has shifted to a very busy scene of work towards Rebirth, Repair and then Rebuild, while also balancing time for self-care and community togetherness. As the snow melts away and the weather shifts towards Spring, we will be bringing on more project workers and seasonal staff. This additional help will be essential to meeting our soft reopening goal and the multi-year rebuilding work. It's been a long, quiet winter and we are looking forward to the energy of the spring sunshine and additional hands and smiles on the land.
If you are interested in joining the work we are doing at Breitenbush, please apply here.
A very big thank you to those who have contributed their hard work through the Fall and Winter, in sometimes difficult conditions. Ben, Travis, Willow, Douglas, Maura, Peter, Jon, Keith, Michael, Paul, Greg, Joe, Heather, Gael, Mark, Bruce and Conrad have all played a major role in where we’ve come in the past six months.
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Community Dinner, from left to right; Jon, Keith, Michael, Mark, Maura, Travis and Ben. |
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Left: Meeting with Paul, Maura, Travis, Jon, Keith and Heather (who is behind the camera)
Right: Peter and Conrad convening outside the lodge
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A Poem of Renewal from the Spiral Tubs |
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Awakening
Within is a timeless circle whose center shines in the heart.
Salmon is a symbol of renewal, strength and commitment.
A plunge into the icy cold water stimulates empowerment
and energy.
Invigorated and refreshed body, mind, and spirit.
Come straight into the present moment.
This is awakening!
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Thank You For Your Continuing Support! |
Your donations have helped us in a myriad of ways! From the rebuilding of the footbridge, to restoring our off-the-grid utilities, to starting a nursery to replant the forest.
The love and support from people who care about this place are what keep us going. Donations that have come in thus far have been critical in our initial response. They will continue to be as we go forward and until we are able to begin serving guests on the land again.
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Let's stay connected!
We will continue to share the evolution of our rebuild
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PO Box 245
Idanha, OR, 97350
office@breitenbush.com
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Donations to support the rebuild effort are greatly appreciated and can be made here: |
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