The CSC Board of Directors records items of interest to members and friends  on this page.
Annual Report of the Center for Sustainable Community For Fiscal Year 2010 - 2011


Introduction

The past fiscal year has seen considerable change in CSC, largely focused on a review and revision of the Mission and Operating Principals, and a significant modification of the levels of participation available.  This report first summarizes each of these changes. 

Mission of CSC
After considerable review and discussion the following Mission and Goal statements were adopted:

Mission and Goal
The mission of the Center for Sustainable Community (CSC) is to provide educational experiences and demonstration projects that make ethical and wise uses of human and natural resources. Our goal is to develop and share models that improve the quality of life for the human family, while increasing the long-term sustainability and health of the planet we all live and depend upon.

Significant study and reflection also led to the articulation of a series of Operating Principals designed to permit relationships among participants required to achieve our Goal and conduct specific Vision along the way.

Operating Principles
CSC operates, cognizant of the benefits of consciously evolving and compassionate group work.  We, who participate in CSC, therefore willingly embrace the following:
  • We understand that things may not always move the way we believe they should, so without diminishing others, we support the group decisions, while creatively working to change or create what we believe to be of the greatest good of all concerned.
  • We search for the deeper truth behind what appears to be happening on the surface, knowing that there are often several underlying layers in each situation, especially in our own feelings and thinking;
  • We hold each of our colleagues as well-intentioned, even if we should disagree with them;
  • We choose not to speak disparagingly of, or to, others.
  • We understand that we are the ones generating the emotions we are feeling—that our emotions are not “caused” by others.
  • We view our inner turmoil as a “friend,” indicating to ourselves an opportunity for personal insight or healing;
  • We trust in the results of the group process when we as individuals work from compassion, care, and respect.

To better understand the above, we embrace the following guides: The Fires of Group Work, by Gloria Crook; The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz; Non-Violent Communication, by Marshall Rosenberg; As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen; Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities, by Diane Leafe Christian.

Levels of Participation in CSC
CSC seeks to engage all those who resonate with the ideas and concepts articulated above.  However, we recognize that different people will be attracted to varying degrees to these concepts.  Consequently, we have made significant structural changes in the organization to accommodate different degrees of involvement in CSC.

Specifically, we invite interested individuals to join CSC in one of the following self-selected groups:

  • Friends receive our monthly e-mails and other correspondence. They are invited to participate in activities, hands-on projects and functions of the CSC while donating time or resources when and where they can.

  • Associates may choose to participate in all activities and meetings of the CSC and have a clear influence on how our organizational activities and business decisions are conducted. They have a say in what we do, participate in different projects and functions, and may serve on committees. An Associate pledges a minimum of 12 hrs. per year of their time and $120 in financial contributions ($10/month) to the work of CSC. (See Work/Pledge below.)

  • Members participate fully in all activities and meetings of the CSC. They have the added responsibility of serving on and/or electing the Board of Directors. They help the Board make decisions on larger organizational and fiscal matters. A member pledges a minimum of 100 hrs. per year of their time (8-9 hrs./month) and $1000 annually ($80-90/month) in financial contributions to CSC and its work. (See Work/Pledge below.)

Work/Pledge
It takes both time and money to fulfill the work before us, therefore we encourage everyone to attempt to donate both.  However, due to circumstance, it might not be possible for some to donate time, or others may not have enough money to fulfill the specified financial commitments outlined above.  Therefore, participants may increase their hours to minimize or eliminate their financial contribution, and vice versa. For example, a member can choose to donate 200 hours per year (about 4 hours/week) and make no financial gifts to meet the membership criteria.  An Associate from a long distance away might donate $240 and no time instead of $120 and 12 hours.  The comparison is based on a $10/hour rate of service.  Participants are invited to discern their own intentions and notify CSC by completion of a Participation Form found on the Web Page.

Participant Coordinator
Since the initiation of CSC Membership, the organization has asked a volunteer to serve as a Membership Coordinator.  Some of the tasks assigned to that individual have been to keep track of members, communicate with the members and interface with the CSC Board of Directors.  With increasingly complex levels of participation, we believe that the Membership Coordinator should be elected by the Associates and Members of CSC in the future.  That will be one of the tasks to be managed at the Annual Meeting this year and the Board will consider whether to incorporate this task into the Bylaws along with changes in the levels of participation in CSC.

Vision Projects
CSC has initiated work on a series of projects designed to foster our Mission and Goal by undertaking significant work efforts on large changes.  Although the Co-operative ventures currently established and in operation are the only concrete work efforts underway at the present, the Board seeks additional input from Members and Associates to begin and conduct future Vision Projects in the areas indicated below.
Alternative Energy
Composting
New Co-operatives
Green Building
Land Stewardship
Further information is available about each of these areas on the CSC Website.  However, here we want to emphasize that the Board regards work to articulate and expand this list of projects as an essential part of CSC’s effort to achieve our Mission.

Additional CSC Activities
In the past, CSC has conducted extensive workshops, open houses and other outreach programming to foster its goals.  During the past Fiscal Year, the Board made a deliberate effort to place these activities on hiatus, to afford us a chance to do the work outlined above.  However, we have conducted a number of traditional programs and will describe those briefly below
.
  • Solar Tour CSC partnered with the Stelle Community Organization(SCA) and the Stelle Transition Initiative to conduct a very successful Solar Tour during 2010.  Approximately 150 people from all over Illinois and Indiana attended the days activities which included tours of the alternative energy facilities established in Stelle, the CSC gardens, orchards, chicken co-operative and pond, and dining and sales activities.


  • Earth Day The traditional Stelle Earth Day celebration was also conducted in partnership with the SCA in 2011.  Attendance was down compared to other years.  Only 50 people attended.  Those who came clearly enjoyed the tours, meals and social activities conducted.

  • College of Du Page Tour At the request of staff from the COD, a discussion of alternative energy conducted by Steve Bell was followed by a tour of Stelle and lunch.  In the afternaoon, tours of the CSC garden, Orchard and Chicken Co-operatives were conducted.  This event was well received as indicated by the fact that COD has arranged to repeat the event in 2011.

  • Star Gazing Event In mid-October, CSC hosted the Kankakee Star Gazing Club for an evening devoted to looking at the night sky through telescopes brought by the club for that purpose.  Although some efforts were made to include some general astronomy in the event, appropriate speakers were not available.  The event was a success however, and there is a desire to repeat and expand it in 2011.


Respectfully Submitted.
CSC Board of Directors for 2010-2011
Carroll English, Peg Homeier, Ed Homeier, and Bill Wilson

Approved at the Annual Meeting of 7/17/2011
Meetings of the Board are held at least monthly and are open to members and friends. The  next Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday February 8 at 7 PM in the CSC Office, 127 Sun St., Stelle IL 60919.

Agenda items include:
  • Review of the status for Programming for 2012
  • Review of the Community Garden Co-op Status and Plan
  • Review the Work-study Training Programs
  • Consider CSC Use of Facebook & Other Social Media Contacts
  • Three Year Planning and Business Plan
Vision for CSC Land Use

1. Develop the overall biological health of the CSC property to promote increasing abundance and sustainable utilization of the land

2. Continue to utilize the CSC property for educational and demonstration purposes in accord with the CSC Vision, Mission and Goals

3. Develop approaches that promise to make the property economically self-supporting and capable of generating income for the CSC and those individuals who are working diligently on the property

4.Support the development and experience of community on the property by providing opportunities for meaningful relationships among those who work upon the land and among those who visit the property for recreation, education and meditation

5. Work to offer increasing opportunities to residents of the area, especially those who live in Stelle, to share and visit the property

Submitted by Bill Wilson 7 28 10 and in this revised draft by Ed Homeier 8 3 10 and adopted 8 11 10

CSC Vision Projects

To achieve our mission objectives. CSC is establishing a series of projects, Vision Projects, for development.  Please look elsewhere on our Website for detailed descriptions of these and consider joining us as we work the ideas out in detail.  We all know that is where the devil is, but the fun is found there too!




At the Regular Meeting in January
The Board

  • Reviewed the plans for the work-study internships to be offered in consecutive, three-month-long training sessions, one beginning early April and one in early June

  • Set a target date for publication of the announcement of two training programs as January 15 on both the CSC and Midwest Permaculture Website and via the respective email programs

  • Resolved to examine appropriate venues for publication of the program details.