Greetings,
As fires burn up and down California, including some close to Ojai, we bear witness to the new climate in which we now must operate. Our hearts go out to those affected by the current wave of fires, and to those who, like The Ojai Foundation, are still recovering from previous burns. Many are acknowledging that this is the new normal. As we send this newsletter and update, we hope our ongoing efforts serve as part of a much-needed and relevant response.
With gratitude,
The Executive Stewardship Circle
Brendan Clarke & Sharon Shay Sloan, Co-Directors
David Bryan & Laura Whitney, Board Co-Chairs
FIRE Fellowship Application Period Now Open
We are excited to announce that the application window has officially opened for The FIRE Fellowship. FIRE, or Foundations in Resilience Education, is a year-long, tuition-free depth training, for young leaders, ages 18-30 seeking to deepen their grounding in practices for resilience and emergence, and thereby increase their capacity to respond to the needs of their communities, and the world. The fellowship brings together a diverse cohort to create a common space for growth, renewal, collaboration, and action. As a collaboration between The Ojai Foundation (TOF) and Youth Passageways (YPW), FIRE is not so much a program as it is an investment, in leaders and in relationships, as we collectively respond to the cultural and ecological challenges and opportunities of our times.
Applications will be accepted from November 1 through December 21. Please help spread the word!
Q&A Call: FIRE Fellowship Application
For those interested in applying and/or encouraging an applicant, please join us for this Q & A session via zoom on November 20, 2019, from noon to 1:00 pm.
Please register in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Goats Galore
One of our guiding questions in our recovery process has been: How can we recover in a way that aligns with the principles of our broader mission? In this vein, we have sought to continue and deepen our practice of council, mindfulness, stewardship, and more. We have sought to implement land-based projects in support of a climate-resilient site, in ways that support sustainable, long-term solutions. As part of this endeavor, we have “rented” a herd of goats to support with brush clearing.
While the possibility of working with animals at the Land Sanctuary has come up many times, this was the right moment to experiment with this method on the ridge we call home. We will have the herd of nearly 70 goats, working primarily in the steep terrain of the canyon, for around three weeks. They have been steadily chomping away at the underbrush, especially poison oak, supporting with greater fire clearing and giving us access to continue our water-retention efforts throughout the land. And, they add to the beauty of the land. Aren’t they cute?
Calendar of Events
Volunteer Days of Service
Spend a day in community and in practice while giving back to the land.
Saturdays
December 14, 2019
Wednesdays
November 13, 2019
December 11, 2019
RSVP to Mariah at business@ojaifoundation.org.
FIRE Fellowship Q&A
For those interested in applying, and/or encouraging an applicant, please join us for this Q & A session via Zoom.
Wednesday,
November 20, 2019
Noon – 1:00 pm