This
Winter we will be volunteering at Evergreen Cemetery, our days may vary
so please check our calendar or feel free to email
melanie@alifeoflessons.com for more details.
Please
keep in mind that you must sign a waiver to participate. There are
lots of wonderful but potentially dangerous surprises when we leave the
paths. John Shuck will always be present when we volunteer and he has a
standing commitment to be there every Saturday if you would rather
volunteer on a weekend.
The area we are currently working on is at the south end of the cemetery. The entrance is on East Richmond Road. To get there, take the Nine Mile Road east exit off of I-64. Turn right on to Evergreen road. The turn is right across from the Henrico Government Center. Follow Evergreen through some twists and turns until it dead ends at East Richmond Road (Evergreen Road turns in to Stoney Run Parkway). Do NOT turn in at the Four Cemeteries sign just after you cross over I-64. Keep going and turn left on to East Richmond Road. The entrance will be about a third of a mile on the left. You can set your GPS for 4100 East Richmond Rd and you will get to the right area. You will see a banner hanging there. You should also see my red truck. You can drive in the cemetery and park or park on the side of the road.
How: What to bring--water/drinks, hand wipes (no water spigots), rakes, clippers, shovels, work gloves, your family lunch/picnic, blanket for sitting. As usual bring your mug for hot tea, lunch, plenty of water and as usual dress for the weather. There is not toilet there, the best place to take a break is across Nine Mile at the Henrico County Government Center.
Why: Evergreen Cemetery is a historic African-American cemetery in the East End of Richmond, Virginia, dating from 1891. Notable African-American Richmonders including Maggie L. Walker, John Mitchell, Jr., A.D.Price, and Rev.J.Andrew Bowler are buried there. Perpetual care was not included in the contract and much care is needed at this point.
More About Our Tribe:
Our tribe gatherings offer families a full day outdoors, year round, in natural settings. Introduced in the fall of 2008, our group started with about ten children spending the days on organic farms, in the forests and wild places, or out in municipal parks. Our families are engaged in a rhythm that includes circle, funshops offered from its members, story, gardening and some child-led activities. The motto for the class is, there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices.
We will start the day with preparation of space and snack, we begin with an opening verse to greet each other and the world followed by a seasonally themed verse for the younger children and usually a seasonal poem for the adults and older children. Sometimes we have a song or stretch. Then we have announcements and explain the funshops and work of the day.
As an eclectic mix of homeschoolers, we like to call our workshops--funshops instead. That is an important part of the co-op/tribe experience--I do not teach everything, members bring something they know or want to know to share with the group. Sometimes it is an ongoing project, often there is gardening work, sometimes a simple craft, letterboxing, fire building, photography, yoga, etc. As to embrace sustainable learning, we want to stay away from boxed lessons and worksheets and explore the world together--we as adults have passion to explore the world, so let's explore with our children.
We finish the day with lunch, free play, and exploration (wee children are welcome to nap on site or head home to their cozy nap nest). We will finish up the day at with a share circle (show and tell) and a closing verse.
What to bring:
--snack, cold water and hot tea will be provided
--your mug and water bottle
--your lunch
--appropriate layers
--nest supplies for little ones
--bug and sun screen
What is the cost?
If you want to just visit when it works for you there is a $5 (*trade value) fee per family per tribe gathering.
If you would prefer to join our co-op, we will have extra registration forms ready and would like to have them completed at that time. (there is a $20 (*trade value) registration fee per family) NOTE: I could only access the registration forms by right clicking and copy/paste link
If you want join the tribe but the timing does not work for you, please email melanie@alifeoflessons.com so that I can keep you updated for special activities, field trips, enrichment circles and festivals.
*Please ask me about trade value, we prefer not to accept cash.
If you have any questions please email melanie@alifeoflessons.com or you may call (804) 476-4158.
