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Upcoming Events: April 26th Dezarie
Lion's Heart: Ital Children
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In the small town of Index Washington, a community is rallying around a great cause: meet the June 2008 deadline to raise $1.3 million to save the 95 acre forest on Heybrook Ridge for generations to come. They have recently received a $500,000 Challenge Grant which will double the value of all donations. The forest is due to be clear-cut this summer unless the money can be raised to purchase it for public use. This is a brief glimpse into their story and the forest, wildlife and dreams of a community which they hope to preserve.
The Friends of Heybrook Ridge are partnering with the Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC) to raise the money and, CLC has negotiated an "Option to Buy" agreement with the landowner W.B. Foresters, Inc., expiring June 30, 2008.
Not only does this dynamic partnership hope to prevent clear cutting but also to open the protected land for the public’s enjoyment and education. The Friends of Heybrook Ridge plan to create hiking trials for Index and the surrounding communities including Seattle which is only a short hour’s drive away. The community explains their vision by stating, “Friends of Heybrook Ridge support establishment of an educational and recreational forest park on Heybrook Ridge, that will serve as a “living laboratory” of natural forest growth; preserve and interpret the area’s cultural and natural history; and provide recreational and cultural tourism opportunities for the region." March 26th To read more of this story click here.

An Iterview with Kathleen Biggie...Doula When did you first become interested in becoming Doula? That is a hard question to answer, mainly because my road to a doulaship began when a friend gave me a book entitled ‘Spiritual Midwifery’. I was pregnant with my first child and this book opened my eyes to how positive of an experience birth can be. Unfortunately my first birth was not a positive experience but it drove me to research and learn about birthing. At this time I wanted to become a midwife (which I still desire). As I studied and learned my desire to encourage women to learn about and have the birth they wanted began to grow. This evolved into me helping friends; I started assisting in their births. After doing this for about 5 years I came across the name ‘Doula’. During some of the births I assisted with the nurses and doctors started referring to me as a doula. To Read more click here...posted March 27th 2008-Italma

A Special Thanks to Maida&Barry Evans
For their donation of the CPR and First Aid First Response Videos which will be used to teach the basics of these techniques to children and teachers in Uganda. THANK YOU.

Photo of Jody of Higher Grounds with Esperanza Dionisio Castillo, General Manager of the CAC Pangoa coffee cooperative in Peru
Jody Treter of Higher Grounds when asked about starting a Fair Trade business, stated, “Where there is a will there is a way.” It could also be said of her and her husband Chris, that here there is a heart there is a way. Jody and Chris’s Fair Trade coffee business was birthed and continues to be driven by a fiery passion for justice and a heart of compassion for people. Higher Grounds got its name from the high lands in Mexico where they first started importing coffee beans from. Jody also believes that Fair trade is a spiritual high way…a road leading to a greater good for all of humanity. This is the story of how success and justice re being built one coffee bean at a time
Faces of Fair Trade
Where there is a Heart and a will there is a way...the story of how Higher Grounds Coffee Company was first formed.
. Full Story Coming Soon