Fundraising Project

Community Education Building at Live Power Community Farm

Greetings from the Wet North Country at Live Power Community Farm!

The plants, the animals, the soil, the creeks, the streams, the fish, the river, the humans, all are so grateful for the bounty of rain we have been receiving. We wanted to give BDANC members and supporters an update on the fundraising effort that the Live Power CSA members initiated for the farm's community education building.

At its core, Live Power is about teaching. It is about expanding our understanding of what it means to care for the land and each other. While the farm produces the food that nurtures, it is the means by which we produce the food which ultimately nurtures our spirits. And it is this spiritual nurturing, the teachings about how to live with and on the land, that will ultimately have the greatest and most lasting impact. Live Power’s teachings plant seeds that continue to grow in lasting ways in every visitor who drops by, every class that visits the farm, and every apprentice who spends a season there.

Ten years ago, Stephen and Gloria Decater started construction on a large building to use as a community space for learning activities such as lectures, peer-to-peer learning, school class visits, tour orientations, and workshops. It will also be a spontaneous welcoming and fun space where music, dancing, conversation and re-connection will thrive. When completed, it will also be a place for our Live Power Community of CSAers, BDANC supporters and schools to stay during farm visits.

The building is framed and has a roof, but it was never completed on the inside due to time limitations and money constraints.

$150,000 IS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE EDUCATIONAL BUILDING. YOUR GIFT WILL ENSURE A CONTINUED LEGACY OF EDUCATION ABOUT LIVE POWER BIODYNAMIC FARMING.

Please join us in contributing to ensure this legacy. We are looking for donations of $1500 from 100 families in order to accomplish this fundraising goal quickly. And we know that it will take some larger and smaller amounts to achieve the goal, so, all contributions are welcome. But TIME is of the essence to get a commitment from the contractors to ensure the building is ready for the 2016-17 school year.

Dollar for Dollar

MATCH BY AN ANONYMOUS DONOR - LIMITED TIME OFFER!

Gloria and Steven's son, Christopher, has a construction company (C&C Construction) in Covelo that have offered to do the work on the building at a reduced "family" rate. The building is 1728 square feet, which needs to have all the electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, trim, doors, windows, lights, wood flooring, paining, siding, etc. completed. To keep the costs down Stephen and the farm apprentices will do some of the work so that the apprentices can learn some of the construction skills, which they are quite excited about. In addition the funding will outfit the interior with needed seating, sleeping futons, heating stove, kitchen stove, sinks, refrigerator, and kitchen equipment for visiting groups to use. Any left over money will be used for maintenance.

Current structure as seen from the fruit tree orchard.

While the current structure which has been housing onions, winter squash, wood, horse equipment, etc., what is envisioned is a wonderful open community space for classes of children who come to learn about farming, CSA and BDANC members/guests to stay in when visiting, group tours, agrarian workshops, lectures, Biodynamic farming meetings, peer-to peer learning and the list goes on. Not to mention having a wonderful wooden dance floor for coming together for having conversation, reconnecting, dancing, and celebrating!

Please consider donating whatever you can as soon as you can to help us get this project going and provide a wonderful, warm, welcoming place for all to learn about farming, particularly our Live Power farming!

THERE IS $20,500 DONATED SO FAR. MANY THANKS TO THOSE DONORS!

If you have family, friends, or foundations that you think might be interested in helping with this project, please let us know.

WHERE TO DONATE: NORTH COAST OPPORTUNITIES

Donations will be tax deductible through North Coast Opportunities in Ukiah, an amazing organization that has been helping farmers in Mendocino and Lake Counties for many years. Please visit www.ncoinc.org to get a better idea about our fiscal sponsor. For ease of collecting please:

Make either donations by check to North Coast Opportunities noting Live Power Community Farm in the memo. Mail to: North Coast Opportunities, 413 North State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482.
Or donate through PaypPal at www.ncoinc.org/give. Please note Live Power Community Farm in your PayPal message.
For your personal tax records the Federal Tax ID number is 94-1671958 for North Coast Opportunities.

If you have other questions that have not been addressed here, please call Gloria and Stephen Decater at 707-983-8196 (home) or email:gloriadecater2@gmail.com.

Thank you!

BDANC, Live Power CSA members, Gloria and Stephen Decater, and Live Power Apprentices