Cultivating Connections Recommends: Events for Metro Louisville - July 2016

Affirming Connections between Planet, People, Power and Possibilities

Table of Contents - Click to Jump to the Details
Wednesday the 6th * Louisville Sustainability Forum: Optimal Aging
Thursday the 7th * Volunteer with Olmsted Conservancy in Cherokee Park
Saturday the 9th * Really Really Free Market at Tyler Park
Tuesday the 12th * Become a Parks Steward: Free Information Session
Saturday the 16th * Children and Nature Part One: Iroquois Park 9:30 am
Saturday the 16th * Children and Nature Part Two: Bernheim Forest 7 pm
Tuesday the 26th * Compassionate Louisville Town Hall at ComputerShare
Tuesday the 26th * Greater Louisville Sierra Club Annual Picnic
Saturday the 30th * Uplands PEAK Sanctuary Family Fun Day
Saturday, August 13th * Work that Reconnects Workshop
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Wednesday, July 6, 12 - 1:30 pm
The Louisville Sustainability Forum
Earth and Spirit Center Barn, 1924 Newburg Road 40205
located behind St. Agnes Church & Passionist Monastery

Featured Presentation
Anna C. Faul, Ph.D., Executive Director
Joseph G. D'Ambrosio, JD, Ph.D, LMFT ,
Director of Health Innovation and Sustainability
Institute of Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging

Institute of Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging envisions a connected world where older adults lead engaged and flourishing lives.  Dr. Anna Faul and Dr. Joe D'Ambrosio will discuss how they are helping older adults flourish by building collaborative networks of research, practice, innovation and education.

Believing that aging is an opportunity and not a disease, enables  optimal aging with dignity, grace and integrity. The Institute's innovative projects and plans for a future where older adults thrive throughout their aging journey will be discussed.
Dr. Anna's 32-year career has been dedicated to helping older adults live productive and healthy lives across the lifespan. Dr. Joe's work and community based research is focused on innovative and sustainable health initiatives.

Shorter Presentations

Engaging in fossil-fuel-free and green investing  
Carrie B. VanWinkle, CFP,
Socially Responsive Investment Advisor & Financial Planner

Geothermal-powered heating and air conditioning
Richard Roth,
A. N. Roth Heating and Cooling
 
Now in its ninth year, the purposes of the Louisville Sustainability Forum are:
1. We hold and promote the intention of sustainability for Louisville.
2. We establish and nourish relationships that strengthen
community and create change.
3. We create a space for discussion that inspires, motivates and deepens
our ability to catalyze social change.
 

Thursdays on July 7, August 4 & September 1, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Olmsted Parks Conservancy Invites You to
Help with Volunteer Projects in Cherokee Park

Bring a friend to volunteer with you, or come on your own and make some new friends! Gloves, tools, and guidance provided by Olmsted Parks Conservancy.

After the project, plan to join us for some FREE pizza and munchies while supplies last,
courtesy of Mellow Mushroom.

Register here. For more information phone 456-8125 or visit olmstedparks.org/events. 
 
 

 

  Really Really Free Banner
Saturday, July 9, 3 pm - 6 pm
Really Really Free Market
Tyler Park, 1501 Castlewood Ave, Louisville, KY 40204

NO MONEY. NO BARTER. NO TRADE. EVERYTHING IS FREE.

We've always been told, "Nothing in life is free." In our vision of society, EVERYTHING IS FREE!

The Really Really Free Market is a place where people come together to take what they want and give what they can. There is no money, trade, barter, advertising, or remuneration of any kind.

The RRFM is an alternative to the capitalist free market, which isn't free at all. The RRFM is based on the gift economy - where goods, services, food, skills, talents, discussions, workshops, and many other things that would benefit the community are free to take and give away.

The RRFM is not just a means of getting things without paying. Participation in the RRFM helps build real community values, demonstrates an alternative to the current system of greed, commodification, competition, and exploitation, and helps dispel the spectacular programming that comes from living in a capitalist society.

What can I bring? Anything you'd like to give. From clothes that no longer fit to food, books, stories, crafts, services, performances, music, a skill you'd like to share, or anything else that you think would benefit the community.

Don't have anything to give away? Don't worry; no exchange is necessary to participate. Please come out and take anything you like. It's FREE!

The RRFM is a strictly anti-capitalist event, so please leave your business cards at home. This event is not the proper place for advertising or promoting a business.

The RRFM is organized on anarchist principles of mutual-aid, cooperation, and voluntary association. It is a decentralized, non-hierarchical, alternative to the market economy, with one rule...share and share alike. Another world is possible, but only if you want it!
 
 

 
Tuesday, July 12, 6:30-7:30pm
Become a Park Steward - Free Information Session
Olmsted Parks Conservancy Office, 1299 Trevilian Way, 40213

Nuts about Olmsted Parks? Become a Park Steward!

A Park Steward is a volunteer leader who receives in-depth training by Olmsted Parks Conservancy staff in order to help with park projects, volunteer events and/or community outreach. Park Stewards volunteer an average of at least 4 hours monthly to help protect and restore natural areas, to raise awareness in the community and serve as advocates for Louisville's Olmsted Parks. Benefits of becoming a Park Steward include learning about native flora and fauna, gaining hands-on experience in ecological restoration, developing leadership skills, and volunteering alongside others who share a passion for our neighborhood parks.

To be a Park Steward, you do not have to have previous volunteering experience but you do need to be 18 years or older.

Register here or call us at 502-456-8125 to reserve your spot.

 
Now that we know the impact exposure to nature has on young people's health,
education, sense of community and psychological well being,
what can we do to see that all of our children have this powerful advantage?

Join us Saturday July 16th as best-selling author Richard Louv (Last Child in the Woods - Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder) leads us in a unique two-part exploration entitled Children and Nature: Cultivating the Nature Rich Life.  Tickets are free.

Part One: Exploring Our Options: Coming Together to Build a Nature Rich Life
runs from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at Iroquois Park Amphitheater in Louisville and is designed for adults.  Part Two: Children and Nature: Cultivating the Nature Rich Life starts at 7:00 p.m. at Sunset Amphitheatre, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest and is part of an entire evening of outdoor opportunities scheduled from 5:00-11:00 p.m. for the entire family

Here are the details:

On Saturday, July 16 a coalition of advocates for outdoor play and activities are hosting Children and Nature: Cultivating the Nature Rich Life, a regional event in two parts. Both events are free and open to the public.  They each feature unique presentations with Richard Louv, an internationally recognized author and leader in the movement to reconnect people with nature. (bio below)


Saturday, July 16 
Part One: 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 
Exploring Our Options: Coming Together to Build a Nature Rich Life 
at Iroquois Park Amphitheater in Louisville
 
This program for parents, educators, healthcare providers, outdoor recreationists and other advocates for reconnecting people with nature features a presentation from Richard followed by breakout sessions focused on different ideas and projects that cultivate a nature rich life.  Attendees are encouraged to bring their ideas to the event or host breakouts around ideas that emerge out of the program. This event is free though advance registration is requested.

Reservations are available at richardlouviroquois.eventbrite.com




Part Two: 7:00 p.m.
Children and Nature: Cultivating the Nature Rich Life
at Sunset Amphitheatre, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest

Bernheim is offering an entire evening of outdoor opportunities running from 5:00-11:00 p.m. including 5:00-8:30 pm Free Play at the Bernheim Children's Play Garden; 5:30-7:00 pm Music at the Sunset Amphitheater; 7:00-8:00 pm Richard Louv presentation; 8:00-8:30 pm Book sales and signing with Carmichaels Books; 6:00-9:00 pm Bernheim Naturalists will set up Nature Discovery Stations in and around the event site; 8:30-10:00 pm Louisville Astronomical Society and 8:30-10:00 pm Hiking around Lake Nevin. This event is also free though advance registration is requested.  Reservations are available at richardlouvbernheim.eventbrite.com



Richard Louv is an internationally acclaimed author and advocate for healthy connections to nature. He is a cofounder of the Children and Nature Network and a frequent media guest with recent appearances on NPR's Diane Rehm Show and CBS This Morning.

His landmark book Last Child in the Woods - Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit   Disorder was a New York Times bestseller and has been translated and published in many languages.  It was one of the first books to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential to healthy childhood development. His just released bookVitamin N: The Essential Guide to the Nature-Rich Life is a complete prescription for connecting people with the power and joy of the natural world.
 
Tuesday, July 26, 12 pm - 1:30 pm 
Compassionate Louisville Town Hall 
ComputerShare, Meidinger Tower, 462 South Fourth St, 40202

Experience compassion in action! Each month we invite you on a pilgrimage to discover the city's often hidden compassion gems. Once at the site, we will share the mission of the host organization, celebrate the newest organizations to have adopted a compassion resolution, share how Compassionate Louisville is encouraging compassionate action, and provide a forum for you and others to share their compassionate actions.

Everyone is invited! Bring a Friend! No RSVP required.

Questions: Contact Mary Sullivan, (502) 292-6154 or mary.sullivan@metrounitedway.org   

Our mission is to champion and nurture the growth of compassion.Through intention and social innovation, Compassionate Louisville creates and celebrates a community and world that is becoming more and more compassionate. 


 
  Tuesday, July 26, 6 pm
Greater Louisville Sierra Club Annual Picnic
Exploring Louisville Tree Canopy with
Cindi Sullivan and Erin Thompson
Louisville Nature Center, 3745 Illinois Avenue, 40213

Please join us at our annual picnic.  Our special guests and speakers will be Cindi Sullivan and Erin Thompson.  The program will focus on the state of Metro Louisville's urban tree canopy. We'll learn about where we are, where we are headed, and what we can do to protect and grow Louisville's tree canopy.

Weather permitting, we'll again plan to eat outside at the Nature Center. However, we will have the option of cooling off or eating indoors. As usual, our meal will be a potluck.  Greater Louisville Sierra Club will provide two main dishes (one meat, one vegetarian) and one main beverage.  Please bring some food of your choosing to share. Also, we ask that you bring your own reusable eating/drinking ware.  Sorry, alcoholic beverages are not permitted.

Cindi Sullivan is Executive Director of TreesLouisville.  Her career spans more than 35 years and includes horticulture and agronomy research, government services, environmental consulting, media, and nonprofit work. She is a certified arborist and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified by the International Society of Arboriculture. 

Erin Thompson is an Urban Forester and heads the Division of Community Forestry for Louisville. She is responsible for the health and maintenance of the city's public right-of -way trees and for leading the community to maintain and increase its current tree population. Erin has been active in multiple levels of forestry, from woodland restoration to urban arboriculture practices.

Greater Louisville Sierra Club's programs are always
free and open to the public.
 
 

 Saturday, July 30, 11 am - 3:30 pm
PEAK Family Fun Day
Uplands PEAK Sanctuary (People, Earth, and Animals in Kinship)
4205 W Grandview Rd, Salem, Indiana 47167

Join us for our 2nd Annual Family Fun Day! This is a FREE event!

We will have activities for kids + lawn games for all + face painting!

V-Grits and SnoWhat Snoballs will be on-site for all the yummies!

There will be an opportunity to meet a couple of our residents in small groups throughout the day.

Watermelon feeding for all our residents will happen at 2pm.

Plus there will be a vegan bake sale + treats for your pooch to benefit the Sanctuary.

Raffle of a Fitbit + More!

Enjoy a hike through our carved trails (about a 15 min. hike).
 

Save the Dates - Looking into August
  
wtr trans
Saturday, August 13, 10 am - 5 pm
Work that Reconnects Workshop with Mark Steiner and Marilyn Stoner
Finding Hope and Inspiration in the Natural World
Louisville location to be announced

We live in challenging times. How can we respond and continue our work in the
world without burning out, numbing out or losing heart?

One powerful option - we can choose to reconnect with the natural world and the wonders and resources that await us there.

This ground-breaking workshop explores and reaffirms our connection with the more-than-human world.  It is specifically designed for those who want a deeper sense of inspiration, hope and renewal in these troubling times.

The workshop is an interactive experience featuring innovative processes based on the work of Joanna Macy, internationally acclaimed author, eco-philosopher and activist. It includes experiential practices, movement, inspirational readings and teachings, and simple rituals. This work is engaging, invigorating and provides tools for dealing with the challenges of life in the 21st century.

Presenting are Mark Steiner and Marilyn Stoner of Cultivating Connections who both served as official facilitators of the Work That Reconnects.

Fee is $50 - $75 sliding scale.  Email cultivatingconnections@twc.com to reserve your spot.

 
  


Natural Living Journal, a Locally-spun Publication

Natural Living Journal encourages people to live in harmony with the wholeness of their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.  We encourage all to live in harmony with each other, with our precious planet and all aspects of nature, and with the Divine. This Journal is independent of any organization and is not affiliated with nor advocates any specific religion or political ideation.   We support natural holistic health care practices, and we seek to work in harmony with the medical field.  Our deep purpose is to foster wisdom, peace, joy, creativity, co-operation, love, ecology and sustainability, inclusiveness, wholesome  adventure, stewardship, community service, natural abundance, and the arts.

It features articles about:

Stress-free Living

Natural Wellness

Emotional Well-being

Organic Gardening

Natural Foods

Local Outdoor Adventure

Living in Harmony with Mother Earth

and Spiritual Upliftment

Natural Living Journal is published every other month.  In its printed form it is distributed free at Rainbow Blossom Stores on Bardstown Road and on Lexington Rd., at Whole Foods Market, and other places.  You can also find it on-line at www.natural-living-journal.com.  

For more information contact: Joyce Gerrish, M.A. 502-572-4871
Natural Living Journal  natural.living.journal@gmail.com

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cultivatingconnections@twc.com
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