Aletheia Springs :: Fall Update & 2019 Support-Raiser Campaign Launch!
| October 4, 2019 |
Bright Autumnal Greetings!
Thank you for being a part of this journey and for sharing your open hearts, support, solidarity, and reflections of the value and beauty we're building here at this magical little watering hole in Glen Ellen. Some of you have come to know us via Morton's Warm Springs- as guests, members and friends from our local community. Others of you have come from different threads- work, school, playgroups, meditation and council circles, or working together in the myriad ways we do towards a more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.
Thank you to those who've been cheering us on for the last four years of this project, from when we first met the land and felt the "yes" to leap! And for those who are new or even wondering, "Wait... is it called Morton's or Aletheia?" read this simple primer here, as the name thing can indeed be a bit confusing at first. : )
As we close up another strong and very full summer guest season at the Springs, we are all thoroughly exhausted and due for a goodly rest! But the amazing news is that our hard work paid off and we saw increases across the board with general admission, memberships, reservations, and the cafe, which overall saw us climb to $315K in revenue for this fourth year, which is 120% over our first year's revenue of $143K in 2016! More on that in our later year-end update...
But now! ....drumroll.... We joyfully announce the launch of Aletheia's 2019 Fall Support-Raiser Campaign! This year marks the fifth out of six years where we're actively reaching out to meet and connect with a few incredible new people who will become an integral part of what's unfolding here and what is possible in the near future for these Springs. The refinance goal we need to hit by December 31st is $300K, which means we're looking to welcome in between 1~12 new Community Member Investors and/or Impact Investors at between $25K to $75K+ each.
These folks will be joining our existing circle of sixteen incredible investors who all came aboard deeply motivated to see their money make tangible impacts in the health of local community, watershed and ecology. Our investors participate in a very sacred role for this project by agreeing to hold a small portion of our mortgage debt for a term of seven years with 2% back, not to mention the Community Benefit Dividend that comes with it (read all the details here). We're also hoping this year we'll see a few more folks take advantage of an awesome alternative called a Self-Directed IRA or Solo 401(K), which is an investment structure that allows us to invest our regular retirement funds tax-free into local communities, businesses and real estate (check that out here).
If Aletheia Springs is able meet this refinance goal, it means paying off the second to last balloon payment on the short-term owner-carries loan that allowed us to purchase the property, and more importantly, that means we get to stay here as stewards and keep working to unfold this vision and mission that we love. (To understand our full financial strategy and history, read our Finances page here.)
So far with each year we've been blessed with just enough success both in meeting our financial goals and in meeting the handful of key people who weave into this project in meaningful ways (as key partners, connectors, staff, monthlong Work Scholars, etc.). And we pray that this success may continue this year as we now step officially into our 2019 support-raising season. It does take a village, and we recognize the incredible privilege we have to be here practicing co-creating one and being of service to just such a place.
And that is where you come in! For Aletheia Springs to meet this next wave of challenge and opportunity before us, we ask each and every one of you to please step forward and join our 2019 circle of support. Oftentimes it's from the smallest actions that the most significant ripples begin, later becoming the exact thing that, in some mysterious and unforeseeable way, allows for critical support to come through at just the right moment.
A dear friend recently lamented that he couldn't offer much help as he "didn't know anyone with money to invest." Ah! Well, though I am still a relative newb to this, in our five years of doing it so far I've found that the people who end up opening the most significant doors for us are always the every-day looking folks we all know- other families, friends and coworkers- people often of very modest means, or without money at all, but who's passions and soul inquiries are deeply aligned. And when the commitment is deep and the project's results real and consistent, from somewhere beyond these ordinary-looking doors that we all have at our fingertips... the money comes.
It's also important to know that the money is not the focus of this campaign; it's not the goal, actually. Building the real wealth of this place is our goal, and that is done by ordinary people, by you and me. Money needs people who are working to become more conscious and awake and to wield it well, and even then its just the means by which we can all help true wealth to grow and develop (e.g. clean water, healthy local food, community resiliency, healing the biosphere, protecting sacred watering holes, creating village spaces, etc.).
So, for all of you reading this I can't emphasize enough -never underestimate the power you have to make a significant and lasting impact in helping this dream and many others like it to root, nourish and flourish!
The following are the four most impactful things you can do to support Aletheia Springs right now. We ask you to feel into each and find out what may be the truest way for you to join in this circle of support. (Or perhaps you'll come up with something not even on this list!)
Will you...
Forward this post, our upcoming event info (see below), and/or our Aletheia Springs website to between 2~3 people who would be really lit up by this vision and what we're working toward here. Invite people to our new Aletheia Springs Facebook page, too. Bonus points if you include a personal message or genuine recommendation of our project in your message and why the work we're doing matters to you.
Join us at one of our upcoming October events! And invite along friends who may be interested in what we're doing. See below for info and registration...
Consider if you know someone, or if you yourself have retirement or cash savings you'd like to put to work for seven years returning multi-capital wealth; earning a little money and making real-world impacts in your local community, ecology and watershed.
Consider if you know someone, or if you yourself want to participate as an Aletheia volunteer, Work Scholar, connector, paid summer staff, professional mentor, teacher or workshop facilitator, trade partner, key ally, or...?
Upcoming October Aletheia Support-Raiser Events!
For the Love of Water, Community, Land & Hot Springs Fairfax • Marin | Oakland • East Bay | San Luis Obispo • Central Coast
Join us at one of the following Community Support-Raisers for the rebirth story of this rare geothermal springs gem in the heart of Sonoma Valley! This an opportunity to learn about the unique needs and current offerings of our regenerative land-based community project and how you can participate in this pivotal moment to help these springs flourish for the benefit of all. Each event will include an informational talk and conversation with Aletheia’s founders, stewards, investors and several community members, followed by a delicious organic catered meal in a beautiful private home. By December 31st 2019, Aletheia Springs is looking to welcome in 1-12 new investors to their current Community Member Investor circle of 16, creating the possibility for this growing project to take its next steps forward into 2020 and beyond. Aletheia Springs is also now welcoming in new connectors, volunteers, donations & gifts, professional supporters & mentors, new allies & friends, those interested in becoming Work Scholars and staff, and those drawn to weaving in longer-term in mysterious ways yet to be discovered together. These evenings are a gift. In the spirit of the gift, we are offering these times of possibility, connection, vision and a delicious organic meal to all who are interested. There are no entry fees, and so we ask that each feels into their hearts and offers what they can of support, be it personal introductions to incredible humans, orgs or potential investors, or volunteering at the Springs, or cash donations (suggested ~$25 covers food & event costs), or....?
MARIN COUNTY
ALETHEIA SPRINGS: AN EVENING TALK & BENEFIT DINNER IN FAIRAX
SATURDAY, OCT 12th @ 5-9PM • REGISTRATION REQUESTED • Click to register:
⇨ Register for Marin Event Oct 12th ⇦
(REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED! Thank you!)
EAST BAY AREA
ALETHEIA SPRINGS: AN EVENING TALK & BENEFIT DINNER IN OAKLAND
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13th @ 3-7PM • REGISTRATION REQUESTED •
Click to register:
⇨ Register for Oakland Oct 13th ⇦
(REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED! Thank you!)
CENTRAL COAST, CA
ALETHEIA SPRINGS: AN EVENING TALK & BENEFIT DINNER IN SAN LUIS OBISPO
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27th @ 4-8PM • REGISTRATION REQUESTED • Click to register:
⇨ Register for SLO Event Oct 27th ⇦
(REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED! Thank you!)
GLEN ELLEN, SONOMA VALLEY
+ SAVE-THE-DATE +
A special year-end Aletheia Springs community celebration! Details TBA...
Glen Ellen | Sonoma Valley
SATURDAY, DEC. 7th, afternoon/eve
• REGISTRATION REQUESTED •
Link TBA...
Going on Pilgrimage: A Multi-Year Journey Toward Greater Belonging
For much of the past year, many of us here at Aletheia have been in this open inquiry around how we might approach things differently from how we've done them in the past. We're looking at this from many angles, but an important one is how can we reach out to new people and potential collaborators, and also how we can "fundraise" differently. For example, the ways we've gone about our refi goals in the past have indeed served (hey, it's worked!), but just barely, and our nervous systems are a bit fried. More importantly, it's also become clear that what worked before will not be enough to carry us into the future that's ahead. So from this long-arc inquiry, what's come strongly is that its time for us to take that next step forward into widening and strengthening our greater circle of belonging; to embed this Aletheia project and its vision into the much larger movement and history that we are a part of, and that this project is an expression of in its creation.
This means increasing our work to center and deeply honor the roots and history of those who've come before, including the indigenous peoples whose land we occupy. It also means dedicating some space and time each year for some or all of our Stewards to actively support and be of service to both emerging local and mature global organizations or individuals who are themselves working deeply in the applied theories and social technologies of system change for a healed world. (E.g. regenerative communities, healing biotopes, new culture researchers, sacred acupuncture point locations, global peace pilgrim response teams, permaculture centers and ecovillages, and social justice, environmental education and indigenous cultural organizations.)
So, in the next few years we aim to broaden, deepen and strengthen our participation, service and belonging in this greater fabric through sharing best practices, mutual support and cooperation. More on this to come... and this autumn we will take a small step forward into this intention as five
Aletheia Stewards (Hank, Carole, Larry, Sean and myself, with baby Aura) will travel down to the Owens Valley of the Eastern Sierra to spend a few weeks in service and practice at an elder sister sanctuary called Three Creeks. Stewarded primarily by Gigi Coyle and Win Phelps, Three Creeks is an oasis that has been developed and tended for many decades and is integrally woven with numerous mature groups and powerful movements, such as the Way of Council, Beyond Boundaries, The School of Lost Borders, The Ojai Foundation and Walking Water, to name a few. A wonderful and worthy place to be with in the learning and to be in service to as we unwind from and integrate our intense Morton's summer guest season experience. : )
Thank you for reading this! And for your support and belief in us and this unique and sacred place. Thanks to the hearts and hands that will get involved this year and next, and may we help this vision to unfold and become a life's fulfilling work. In dedication to all the bright beings, seen and unseen, who belong to, serve, love and find healing in these waters, The Aletheia Stewards at Morton's Warm Springs 1651 Warm Springs Road, Glen Ellen, CA 95442 c. (510) 366-5067 | www.MortonsWarmSprings.com | www.AletheiaSprings.com
