Blog

Twenty-six Mount Mercy freshman showed at Prairiewoods on Tuesday, August 24 to learn about service. These students arrived on campus on Sunday, had orientation on Monday and on Tuesday they were at Prairiewoods to learn about the importance of service in their lives. Staffers Emy Sautter and Cliff Schueler and volunteer Joyce Hanson supervised as the 18-year-olds mulched fruit trees, got rid of invasive plants in the prairie and tidied up our trail system. We were impressed with what they did in a short amount of time. If this morning service project is typical of incoming college students, we are all in for a treat.

Several times a year, Prairiewoods serves as a site for the Institute of Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy, which teaches classes in spiritual healing and aromatherapy. People from all walks of life, from nurses, chaplains, massage therapists to just people with an interest in healing, take a series of classes to to prepare them in the art of hands-on healing and anointing with essential oils. ISHA is based in the Denver, Colo., area and offers their courses throughout the U.S. The folks who come here spread out in our conference room, lodge in our guesthouse and enjoy two-to-three days of classes.

Due to the high flooding of the Maquoketa River, Prairiewoods’ retreat cabin at Lake Delhi was flooded over the weekend. The cabin was severely damaged and is no longer habitable. We thank you for your prayers and ask you keep our neighbors in your prayers, as well. Many of them lost their entire homes to the flood.

It’s not everyday that Iowa Governor Chet Culver is at Prairiewoods. On Wednesday, July 21, Culver, local politicians and Prairiewoods and I-RENEW board members, gathered on the Prairiewoods’ grounds for the beginning of a unique collaboration. With $50,000 from the Iowa Power Fund Community Grants Program through the Office of Energy Independence, I-RENEW  will construct a building with an educational solar array roof on the Prairiewoods’ grounds. The building, about the size of a three-stall garage, will be located near Prairiewoods’ organic garden. I-RENEW plans to use this building to train renewable energy installers who want to obtain professional certification. Ultimately, the goal is to build a workforce that can assess and install renewable energy systems. This serves Iowa by educating homeowners, businesses and contractors about renewable energy sytesms so they can make informed decisions about which technologies will work for them. What a great day!

There is a rhythm to life at Prairiewoods. While it’s always business as usual for the staff, the “business” changes a bit during the summer. It’s retreat time. I created a brochure awhile back that tries to explain the concept of “retreat.” Going on retreat is really a step away from your everyday life. It can be for spiritual reasons or for a time to reflect on what’s going on in your life. Some come to practice their faith (whatever that may be) and others come to create. Whatever the reason, we’re in the midst of a busy swirl of preparation. Meals must be made, rooms cleaned and the next group welcomed. It’s retreat time. Quiet for many, chaos for others.

The 2010  Garden Party saw its highest number of attendees at our annual fundraising event! Nearly 200 people gathered at Mercy Medical Center on Saturday, June 5 to enjoy music by Nina Swanson and Carol Montag, a silent and live auction and a wonderful meal. A warm thank you to the Prairiewoods’ board members who planned the event and to the many friends of Prairiewoods who attended. We will add an additional $30,000 to the Prairiewoods endowment!

Thank you to all the Rockwell employees who participated in the United Way of East Central Iowa’s Day of Caring at Prairiewoods.  Held on Wednesday, May 12, the Day of Caring brought more than 1200 volunteers from local companies and organizations together to complete more than 110 service projects at area nonprofits. At Prairiewoods, the 35 Rockwell employees and the five Coe College students, worked in our woods chipping trails, clearing weeds and mulching around trees. Indoors, they flipped mattresses, wiped down screens and gave the guesthouse’s 20 rooms a great cleaning. Your help was much appreciated.

All of us who work at Prairiewoods recognize how valuable volunteers are to an organization like ours. Last night, Wednesday, April 28, we said a formal “thank you” to our volunteers with an appreciation dinner. Most of the staff took a turn in the kitchen to help prepare a meal for 35 of our volunteers. We applaud all of the men and women who contribute their time and talents at Prairiewoods. Marj English, OSF, our volunteer coordinator determined that our volunteers donated more than 2,000 hours in 2009. By donating their time, our volunteers help keep our costs down and our services available. Again, thank you to all of our volunteers, and if you would like to volunteer at Prairiewoods, please give us a call at 319-395-6700.

It’s spring time and work in the vegetable garden has started. Staffperson Mary Ellen Dunford is coordinating efforts to turn our patch of soil into something of wonder. We have volunteers (seen here is Carol Hartman) and so far we’ve planted potatoes, radishes, Swiss chard, flowers and carrots.

Mary Ellen, who is schooled in permaculture, is using elements of this design theory in our garden. She nourished the soil all winter with manure, cardboard and hay. As spring approached, we removed what’s left of the hay to find a rich, dark soil prime for growing. We also are using wet newspaper and cardboard topped with straw in between our vegetable rows to reduce weeds. No one really likes the back-breaking work of weeding.

Proof of our work so far is the first few buds of radishes planted in a circular bed.  We hope soon those radishes will end up in the Prairiewoods kitchen being served to our many friends and clients.

A few of us just came back from the first Environmental and Energy Leadership Symposium at the Coralville Marriott on Friday, April 16. The symposium featured speakers, panel discussion and presentations of awards  all designed to give business and community leaders more information about ways to incorporate green, energy efficient practices.

The exciting part of the event was that Prairiewoods received an award in the Alternative Energy Use category.We were nominated by board member Katie Giorgio for our use of solar energy.  Other winners included Trees Forever and the Indian Creek Nature Center for its green marketing campaign to promote rain barrells.

It was also interesting to learn about the emerging trends in alternative energy and that cities, such as Grand Rapids, MI (named America’s Greenest City in 2008), struggles with such mundane worries as filling its potholes.  Thank you to the Corridor Business Journal for sponsoring this event and offering an opportunity to talk about an important topic.