Cohousing-L Mailing List: Coho hmbyr would trade $help for forest access

[Fiona Rhea Rickford (fiona_rhea]

GREETINGS FELLOW COHOUSERS!

Hello, my name is Fiona Rhea.  I am a registered nurse and single mother of 
four delightful children ages 2 - 13.  The reason for my letter is to ask 
for your assistance.

I have seen the ideal cohousing situation here in our beautiful Rose City of 
Portland, Oregon.  A charming 3 bedroom house in Cascadia Commons's brand 
new cohousing development.  The problem is I have been approved for 
$203,000.00 with $30,000.00 down and increasing my work hours to full time, 
but the cost of the house is $218,000.00.  Due to going over budget on the 
development costs of this project, Cascadia Commons is unable to drop the 
price to match what I have qualified for.  Thus I am reaching out to fellow 
cohousers who truly appreciate the beauty of what cohousing has to offer.  
Where else could I find peace of mind when I work until midnight, 3 AM, or 
for the whole night, knowing my children have 25 other neighbors whom they 
can turn to in case they have a need, or friends to dine with when I'm not 
there, or for me to more easily do childcare trades and make friends, etc.?  
I know you fully know and appreciate what cohousing offers: a style of 
living that really a dollar figure can not be put on.  But unfortunately it 
does require a certain dollar amount to achieve that peace of mind 
initially.

It is my hope that by generating this letter I can reach enough people who 
will help my family turn our dream into reality.  If 300 people respond with 
just $50 each, it will cover the amount I am short, or 1000 people with $15 
each, or anything in between.  I believe it is feasible, and I ask you to 
please send a contribution of any size and if you are able, to start a 
collection for my family within your group of acquaintances within your 
community, work or other social settings.  Time is of the essence, as I 
stand to loose the down payment, if I cannot close this soon.  My goal is to 
be in our new home by my 40th birthday on Nov. 28th!

In exchange for any contributions you make, I would like to make available 
to you a 120 acre track of forest wilderness land that I own.  It is 
completely undeveloped except for an over grown road.  There are coyotes, 
creeks, natural springs and gorgeous views but the terrain is rugged.  You 
may wonder why I do not sell this to obtain my immediate dream of buying a 
house in Cascadia Commons.  Well, in the bigger picture my interest in 
Cascadia, stems from my dreams for this land which is to create an 
International Environmental & Spiritual Healing Center there.  It is my hope 
that from the first hand knowledge and experience I will gain at Cascadia, 
it will give me the tools and friendships I need to establish something on 
this wonderful ground.  Perhaps it will start slowly as a summer training 
grounds for environmental friendly building, cod cottages, - more affordable 
housing options etc.  I am at this point completely open to ideas and anyone 
who has energy to infuse into this project or would like to buy shares in 
this endeavor.  I also want to make the land self sustaining with renewable 
forest management and wood products such as children's playhouses or 
furniture from alder which I have been told by the State and other foresters 
is simply a weed species and should be bulldozed over.

Right now it is not feasible for us to move out to this undeveloped land as 
my older girls are in excellent schools and music programs learning 
Japanese, cello, violin, guitar, piano, voice, theater, and band; that is 
why I was thrilled to learn that Cascadia has accomplished a part of my 
dream here in the city where my kids can continue to participate in their 
full activities, still be with their friends and above all else grow and 
prosper from the rich experience of cohousing that I as single mother can 
not provide for them alone!  That's the beauty of cohousing - you can't 
achieve it on your own.  That is why I am reaching out to all of you, 
because if each one contributes a little the end results will be greater 
than what I can accomplish on my own.

Please send your contributions and comments to Fiona Rhea c/o Cascadia 
Commons;
523 SE Stark; Portland, OR 97214.
E-mail: Fiona_Rhea [at] hotmail.com (response time is as quick a snail mail!)

I drafted this request letter on All Saints Day and thought, "How 
appropriate as I thank and bless all of you saints who will help to manifest 
this dream into reality!  THANK-YOU SO MUCH AND MANY, MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU 
FOR YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS!

Sincerely,
    Fiona Rhea Rickford RN

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