Asheville Communities Network (ACN)

Meeting Minutes

 

When: 11/11/07

Where: Grace Episcopal Church

Facilitators: Joshua and Luna Canter

Attendance: 70

 

Agenda

-Intro to ACN

-Group Check-In (name and one word expressing how you feel)

-Introduction of the True Nature Community in Costa Rica

-Short Video on the “Creating Community Course” that was held at TN in 2007

-Song by Luna

-Open Discussion

-Summary and Closing Words

-Announcements

-Closing

 

Discussion Summary Notes

 

-Where is True Nature?

-Size of Community (# of Founders)

                -smaller is better

                -7 is the ideal number for a circle

                -many visitors come to the community, but the founders decided to wait for new partners for at least 2 years intentionally

 

-What are the “elders” looking for in Community?

                -independence and time to care for each other

                -“Elder Rich” Communities

                                -mutigenerational communities with an emphasis on elders, with the understanding that they have more needs

                -intergenerational living

 

-What is the best way to Network information about communities?

                -ashevillecommnitiesnetwork.com

                -yahoo group

                -ic.org

                -possible one day event in the spring for the ACN

 

-Rural vs. City Based Communities

 

-Finding ways to share the talents that we all have

                -listing your skills on the yahoo group under your profile

 

 

-What are the issues that arise when living in Community?

 (Possible topics for other meetings)

               

                -being a professional in a rural area and having to commute

                -cost of transportation

                -the need for an “invested” population in a community, people who are not going  to get up and leave

                -passing on community to the next generation, not just creating community for ourselves

                -community land trusts

                -visiting other communities, learning from those who have already done this

                -communication (NVC)

                -the many different forms of community

                -conflict resolution

                -networking with communities in our area