Meadow Musings
April, 2022
Coming Up
The Fundraising committee is planning an auction and Gala event on Zoom.
The EVENT will be a fundraiser for the Solarium/Lower Bath House construction project. A silent auction will run for a week, kicked off at the annual members meeting on Saturday, June 18 (2 pm on ZOOM). The gala event will be in the middle of the next week (details to come).
The Gala
Thanks to the brother/sister team of Nick and Michaela Toren who will emcee. The musicians thus far include Bryan Djunedi on the violin, Steve Toren on the guitar, Jon Kimura Parker on the piano, Greg Auger on guitar and more! If you would like to perform please send an email to andriebates@hotmail.com
The Auction
The online auction will include paintings, boat tours with meals, a musical evening at your place, a personal retreat at Indralaya, and more – we encourage you to be creative and think of what YOU can donate!
If you would like to offer an item or experience to include in the auction please send an email to andriebates@hotmail.com Many thanks.
Did you Know – updates from Indralaya
Kudos to Rich!
Rich Goode, the care taker and the sole resident over the winter, has been instrumental with managing critical incidents at camp and has worked effectively with the capital projects manager, Rolf Eriksen. Rich refurbished Balsam and Willow cabins. They look new inside, smell wonderfully and are so inviting. He reused wood to do the floorboards, siding and painted walls and the ceilings to lighten up the cabins. Then he painted the metal bed frames. He purposely did one a sky blue color and with the white sheets one feels like they are floating on a cloud.
Kitchen Improvements
We all know how central the kitchen is to the Indralaya experience. An Ad hoc Head Cooks committee convened by Tessa Ormenyi is working with the board on equipment and structural improvements to improve the cooking, and clean-up experience. Many thanks to volunteers Tessa, Jeannie Chamberlain, Crystal Mossman, Arthur Van Gelder, Kari Van Gelder and Leonie Van Gelder.
And check this out …
Check out the web pages (edited by Merry Bullock and Barbie Luna) with the easy to understand fee system depending upon your accommodation choice.
Fellowship
The Fellowship staff are being hired along with the Woofers and the Work Away world program thanks to Jen and her team, Rich and Ashley.
Board Updates
Finances
Kelly Bachman has filed the 2021 Internal Revenue Service Form 990 and the Orcas Island Foundation Financial Report for the 12 months ending December 31, 2021. She highlighted impacts of the pandemic and the resignation of the executive directors, both of which contributed to low program attendance / program cancellations and lower income. Total operating income was $210,000. Total operating expense was $245,000 (including depreciation of $48,000) which resulted in a net operating loss for the year of ($34,000).
The bottom line showed net gain of $8,000 due to investment gains both realized and unrealized. Capital improvements included $14,000 for renovation of Apple cabin and initial expenses associated with the replacement of the Solarium / Lower Bathhouse.
Investments have remained steady at just over one million dollars.
We are fortunate to have Kelly’s expertise, thoroughness and diligence.
The Board noted that the cost of the new Solarium / Lower Bathhouse is not covered by program fees.
Infrastructure
Drainage and Electrical
The kitchen sinks’ drainage is being improved, and progress on putting power lines underground and re-wiring cabins is underway to improve the system and prevent outages.
Cabin Air Quality
The Resident Manager’s Cabin (Maple) and Spruce Cabin have received professional remediation that addressed air quality issues.
Elderberry
A lot of progress was made on the Elderberry Cabin with new roofing installed during the February work party. The inside of the cabin was stripped, reframed, and will have new insulation. New windows are ordered and assuming volunteers are available, materials arrive, this renovation may be finished before the start of summer programming. A huge thank you to Michael VanGelder along with Rich, Mark Ray, Tessa Ormenyi, Marilynne Gardner and the cooks-Viola Van Gelder and Arthur Van Gelder. The project was led by Rolf Eriksen with all his equipment.
Apple
The Apple cabin and parking are now ADA accessible. The framing is nearing completion, the windows have arrived, and a small kitchenette will be installed. Rolf will bring scaffolding to work on the exterior at the April work parties. Michael Van Gelder is recruiting skilled volunteers with the goal of completing this cabin by the end of April.
Solarium / Lower Bath House
Thank you to Crystal Mossman and Tessa Ormenyi for starting the Lower Bath house demolition.
New Solarium / Bath House
Rolf Eriksen staked out the location of the new building for the Solarium/Lower Bath house so that the board could see the layout and height of the roof. He walked everyone through the sequencing of construction and the costs of various elements. The board is aware of the escalation of materials and construction costs since the project was approved.
Rolf proposed, given budget constraints, that the first phase of the project include the concrete pad, enclosed framing and the roof; funded with available revenue. Rolf projects this phase can be finished by June. Further work requires fund-raising and volunteer labor. Potential cost saving changes were discussed. The Board approved deferring the concrete path around the building, replacing it with a gravel walkway and replacing the heated floor with either a heat pump or electrical units installed in three locations to warm the building and prevent mold. A motion was made to revise the Solarium/Lower Bathhouse Project budget to a total of $400,000 with $200,000 from investments, $50,000 from volunteer labor and $150,000 projected from a fundraising campaign.
We are grateful for Rolf milling and drying the wood for the Lower Bath house. With his local contacts he has organized subcontractors for the excavation, cement laying and the framing of the Lower Bath house. We are so fortunate to have his leadership, as it is challenging enough to work on this project during Covid, let alone with the huge demand for skilled workers and delays in the supply chain to get materials.
The talented Investment Committee continues to make wise decisions keeping things diversified. Thus, the monies of $160,000 earmarked for the Lower Bath house is looking available, thanks to co-chairs Bryan Djunedi and Tom Ray, Kelly Bachman and John Levey. It has been fortunate that the stocks have increased in value.
Staff Updates
Victoria Fonseca-Bennett and the Personnel Committee of Meg Sather and Tessa Ormenyi have spent countless hours advertising and interviewing. Final candidates for the following positions have been selected by the Committee: Facilities Manager (1.0 FTE), Kitchen Manager (1.0 FTE) and Bookkeeper (.25 FTE). Both finalists for the facilities manager and kitchen manager positions requested year-round residence at camp. Positions are scheduled to start April 8. The Personnel Committee has also received an application for the Registrar position (0.5 FTE) that would handle camp email and communications. This candidate would not require camp residence. Current temporary Caretaker Rich Goode declined to apply for a regular position but is willing to assist with training and consulting during the transition. Board members will be involved in the on-boarding process for kitchen and facilities employees. The Committee has not received any viable candidates for the Executive Director position and continues recruiting.
2022 COVID Updates
The Board decided to retain the following approved policy subject to revision as further information becomes available: All employees, program presenters, fellowship volunteers, other temporary residents, and head cook volunteers are required to be fully vaccinated. Camp participants age 5 and above are required to show proof of vaccination or have a verifiable negative test within 24 hours prior to arrival. The complete policy is posted on the Indralaya website.
It was approved that masks and social distancing are optional inside buildings and on the camp grounds. Employees or fellowship volunteers may quarantine at camp if they test positive.
Food Policy
Indralaya has been vegetarian since its beginning days in 1927, a decision founded on the theosophical recognition that we are all part of an interconnected web of life. The meals we serve reflect our mission to honor and engage with nature in ways that cause the least harm and that foster compassion. To that end, we grow and purchase organic produce that is locally sourced as much as possible, and we serve vegetarian and vegan meals.
Annual Meeting
The annual meeting for the membership is scheduled for June 18, 2022 at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This meeting will also be used as a kick-off for the silent auction fundraiser on Tuesday June 21st from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Closing Thoughts: Dancing in the Meadow
—Andrie Levey-Bates
A dream came true to make it back to Indralaya after a 2 1/2 year absence. Though it is fun to meditate and often walk everywhere on the property by memory there is nothing as spectacular as being in such a special place. To reunite with the Board members and appreciate them in person rather than during zoom meetings was delightful. They have worked so diligently taking on all the portfolios that the Executive directors would accomplish. To see all the labour that has gone into Indralaya was heartwarming. So thankful for all the people who have made it possible for Indralaya to have survived these past years.
Plans don’t always go as imagined. The saturated ground meant not immersing oneself on the meadow floor but dancing instead with the sprinkling raindrops. The border patroller lecturing for 20 minutes about the need to have an approved letter to volunteer as a Board member in order to cross into the USA. was informative. Then there was the very friendly State patroller at 6:30 in the morning off the I 5 who asked if we were in a rush. On the return journey it was taking three hours to meet the challenge of finding a pharmacy that was open on a Sunday, sourcing out an approved antigen test, doing the test using Malcolm’s laptop that luckily he had for the meeting with an approved online judicator and then uploading our negative test results to ArriveCAN. It was all worth it to be at camp and be one with the place. The most surprising part was listening to those great American accents that had been so missed and to remember the past.
Giving gratitude to being able to enjoy and to be part of such an inspiring place with people who make it, the deep peace one feels and being part of a caring community that feels like home. We are so spoiled. Can’t wait to see all your lovely faces.