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PROGRESS, FORWARD OR ONWARD MOVEMENT TO A DESTINATION

I am extremely THANKFUL for all the fellow travelers joining us on this adventure. So many times I have been 'drop to my knees' humbled and awed at moments, encounters, conversations and support offered for this endeavor.
Since I set my intention last Spring I have come to think I am simply the 'messenger' for all of this.

Each new day brings us one step closer...

STEP ONE was to find out who owned Mission Hall and how I was going to acquire it. I dropped in on an Island couple to inquire on who owned it and also the condition of a friends health. After some wonderful conversation and some sad news, I left feeling supported, excited and an even deeper commitment to make this happen. Then I went home and wrote the following letter.

Dear John,
It is with sadness that I write to you. I finally stopped at Ron and Lynn's the other day to gather whatever information I could from them to help me set some thoughts in motion. I have a dream to somehow honour Mission Hall's ruins on Pelee. I had shared this desire a year or two ago with Joan and she was genuinely excited about my vision. Ever since she told me about her health challenges last summer I have intended to reassure her that I plan to make my dream a reality. Not the first time I have 'thought' about something for too long and missed an opportunity. But I do strongly feel that Joan will still be with me as I move through this. I am generally a more private person and this endeavor has a feeling of sacredness to it, so I just ask that you not share with others at this time. Once I accomplish step one I would be happy to share with you more if you are interested. For now I can only wish that its' connection to Joan brings you some peace and comfort.

I have been intimate with sadness. It is no stranger to me. By being with it and nurturing it, we see it blossom into beautiful new beginnings.

Well, I now knew who owned it and how to contact him. The excitement built as I was led from one person to the next, the next person I needed to see, literally just being there at the right time in the right moment. I shared with my husband, Paulo Coelho's description of 'beginners luck ' from one of my favourite books, The Alchemist. The author talks about the Universal Law and what the expression means. If we are following our true path everything will fall into place because we are intended to succeed, hence just what we need coming our way. But, beware, we will always be tested somewhere along the way to see if we have what it takes. And tested I was, but if we learn, then we know they are only opportunities to work harder internally to then move forward even stronger and wiser. Confirmation came again later that afternoon as I heard another voice over cold summer drinks 'express the same'. Ah, the moments are endless...
The summer moved on and soon I knew, yes, I could acquire The Mission.

STEP TWO needed to be addressed first though. How exactly would the rebuild look? What I saw in my head and felt from my heart wasn't exactly what I knew some would wish for. After much conversation and thought I let my heart rule. To have gone with the building and property, things would have gotten way out of control, too complicated and let's face it, the building was just too far gone to restore. But mostly I feared losing the special simple beauty of my intentions amongst too much, too many. In the end I was happy to receive others blessings to move forward with my vision.

STEP THREE appeared to be a new challenge, or so I unnecessarily thought. I had always loved the little corner at the end of Ruggles Run, where it came out at Henderson Road, opening to a peek at The Mission. Any need to make a trip cross country over the island was an opportunity for a ride down Ruggles! Over the years as my thoughts distilled, I noticed that someone was lovingly enhancing the magic of the corner. Trees were being exposed, new ones planted, ancient rock piled in circles around old trunks, lavender fields growing next to the vineyards, the remains of an old Saw Mill uncovered. Come to find out this intersection was a little community of its' own at one time. Seemed to me the obvious and perfect location for the rebuild. Also this could potentially simplify other less fun aspects of the project. Oh, so much depended on this possibility working out. I asked a significant mutual friend to introduce me to the man I needed to speak to. He did this by phone as I nervously waited. A phone number was then given to me to call, he had made the introduction. Well, my anxiety was instantly lifted as the voice on the other end of the phone answered laughing.
We were then joined by new travel partners, there for the duration...

STEP FOUR was a fleeting panicked OMG what have I done moment! But this quickly led to an idea to hold a spring event to help with expenses, which then quickly led to some fast salvage trips to the Island before the boat stopped running. Again everything fell into place. And by the way, we actually did keep all this low key until late fall when everything was in order and we were ready to roll. Amazing, indeed.
It was on the Jiimaan ride home, the day we sealed the deal that I became aware my last layer of armour needed to be shed.. Remnants of fear would only prevent forward motion. I was exposed and had to get used to it! Questions and curiousity from other sailors only brought more encouragement.

This whole social media thing is normally so much not my style, but it has been a time of jumping outside of my box, following what just seems right, what should be. I knew from the beginning that this needed to be shared and I see now the possibilities to connect to so many more... with the added bonus of doing it from our cozy home.

I wrote the following back in June when we were in the early stages with a lot of brainstorming still going on. It never landed anywhere until now. I decided to include it here unedited. Maybe a little more comfortable for me than a heading that screams 'help'..

To those who may feel a connection to The Mission Hall Project:
My dream is to rebirth and honour the energy of what was and is still there, blanketed in the strength of the ruins. If I could simply continue to follow my heart to make this dream a reality it would be so easy. Because in my thoughts it all flows so effortlessly. Beginners luck has been with me since I took the first step on this and I would be foolish to turn back now because of logistics and monetary challenges. No dream has ever come to fruition by succumbing to fear or worry. So I am on the path of decision making, which way to go next?
I am exploring options on how to proceed, gathering what I can along the way, willing to let time clarify the answers. Thank you for listening...

Fast forward back to present - Guidance to move forward continued and as much as I would love to not talk dollars, it is what it is. So, following common sense advice from others, at this point, I will simply and humbly say from the very depths of my heart, I am immensely grateful for any support come what may, in any form.

STEP FIVE is keeping us busy working on the details for dismantling and the rebuild this year. Our plan is to determine what will be used for the rebuild and then salvage the remains. Much time is also being spent on preparing for our Spring Event!

Stay posted as we set our sites on completion...

THE END OF JANUARY finds me a little tired after being so worked up and nervous about hitting the 'publish ' button on this site. But it's done now, the adrenaline and lots to do does not allow much time to linger on it. Finding the balance between micro-managing and trusting what will be, proves to be a daily learning challenge...
We are busy making the final decisions on Promotional material to be printed while lots of great connections are being made for the Spring Event!

I HAVE STAFF ! Not only do I have an unpaid Media Tech Assistant, my son, whom I could not have done without on setting up this site, but I think beautiful, artistic Bryn has now earned the title of my unpaid Social Media. Marketing Manager. These areas are definitely not my forte. I would be lost without them and their patience.

As sad as it was to take down that BIG OLD GOTHIC ARCH from above the double front doors late last fall, knowing it was the famous model of zillions of photographs over time , it was pretty cool to ever so gently start piecing it back together today!

My assistant, or wait, maybe I am his...

Our PROMOTIONAL POSTCARDS have arrived from the printer! They look great thanks to Melise, my Event Planning Assistant, also unpaid :) Now to get them distributed out and about...

Pop over to EVENTS page for a close up

We SAVED a FRONT DOOR and its' ARCH window trim!

THE END OF FEBRUARY finds us continuing to collect more helpers and artists as we go...

Bonding time - son and father

When I shared the location for the rebuild earlier on this page in Step Three, I wished I had a photo of the lavender in bloom to share. Well, now I do! Someone just happened to send them yesterday...
Thanks Ruth!

A little bit about the REBUILD. The new structures' facade will resemble the original as much as possible. The sides and back will be mostly open to its' beautiful surroundings with small or partial wall sections. It will have a full gable roof like the original to shade the whole space. It will not be as large as the original but still a nice size. By leaving it as an open structure it clearly will once again invite others in...

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Almost THE END OF MARCH, we get an extra week this month, thank goodness! We need it for preparations...
As we progress, some things come up unanticipated or not thought of. In regards to the fundraiser, my intention in hosting The Spring Event is to offer a wonderful Saturday afternoon shopping, listening to music, visiting and maybe sipping a glass of wine. The end result, hopefully we sell some amazing pieces and we keep our expenses covered for The Project.
But some have asked, 'How can I CONTRIBUTE if I can't be there to make an admission DONATION or purchase a piece?'
Okay, oops! Never thought of that. So this is what we have done. You can still 'get a piece of it,' just go to any Branch of the Mennonite Savings and Credit Union and leave your donation to 'The Mission Hall Project' with a teller. They will give you a 'goodwill ' deposit receipt, not a donation receipt, as this is not a registered charity. It is a 'not for profit' venture. Or if you prefer it can be mailed with a note to them at 243 Erie Street South, Leamington, ON, N8H 3C1.
Then connect with me through the CONTACT US page and I will send you a piece of The Mission. Easy breezy...

There is nothing that cannot be worked out!

We also have The Square available for charge cards...

HOT off the PRESS

We received our PRELIMINARY DRAWINGS for the rebuild... much good conversation over the details. Allowed for a beautiful day on the Island! Plus we are receiving great INPUT from others...
Great story in the March 23rd Southpoint Sun! A few details wrong but overall good publicity. Spring Event is 4 weeks away!

A quick TRIP to the Island. Another look at the structure. A very POSITIVE meeting ! Our TREASURE of the day, found in the far reaches of the attic, thanks to John!

How did APRIL 10th sneak up? As one of the Project's Artisans said. 'Wild, huh!' ' Everyone is crazy busy now that we are down to the final crunch before The Spring Event!
Looks like all our soldiers are lining up as we prepare props. So many yummy things being made... Check out 'GET A PIECE OF IT' page.

We really do have a building army of warriors, all showing up to make this possible...

Our niece Kim and her fiance Chris saved the day! They came from TO to step in and finish up some decaling and stencilling after we ran into a little snag.
What a Godsend they were!

Here we are, the WEEK OF our 'get a piece of it' Spring Event! We have such an amazing collection of items for our silent auction, raffles and shoppers paradise...
and yes, there will be wine and music too!

Michele from 'Finders to Keepers' came by yesterday to advise us on pricing the Mission Hall pieces. Thank goodness, we would have been lost without her. She is full of experience and good advice. Thanks again, Michele!

My Hubby burning a MH 1911 brand into every piece, large or small, that was made from wood from THE MISSION.

Can hardly keep up posting all the beautiful work coming in from the Artists, on 'GET A PIECE OF IT ' page...

NEXT STEP, SET UP!!!

SET UP & SHOW, here and gone in a blur of excitement...

At last, a moment to REFLECT on last weekends Fundraiser, and what a celebration of MISSION HALL ENERGY it was! A wonderful time filled with laughter, smiles and lots of love. We were surrounded with support, an amazing volunteer crew and an incredible line up of beautiful talented musicians which contributed to the special atmosphere of The Event. The 'Moonlight Herons' drumming circle opened with their first public appearance, setting a tone of excitement and intrigue. The creative output from artists and artisans was top notch and did not go unnoticed from visitors and shoppers. The day was a huge success!

The Mission Hall Project's INTENTION of offering a place of beautiful magical atmosphere for one and all was certainly felt in the coming together of so many creating a soulful energy to be shared by everyone. A truly uplifting experience...

Sending an ENORMOUS THANK YOU out there to everyone!

This beautiful hand twisted TREE OF LIFE by Bryn Dayman will grace the wall of the rebirthed Mission Hall. It was revealed at the event, scroll down for more...

A great many purchases were made which in turn supported The Mission Hall Project. I wish I had a photo to share of every beautiful piece that was prepared for the show.
Happy to say some of our Mission Hall salvage pieces will find their way back to homes on Pelee!

MAY 1st, CARRY ON...
Stay posted on our rebuild plans and details for our SUMMER EVENT on the ISLAND!
peace and love ***

Oh... JUNE, sweet JUNE... Counting down the days until officially Summer and savouring the remaining freshness of dwindling Spring...

May was a full month re-grouping and moving forward into the next steps of this journey. The days move on whether we keep up or not. Our thoughts are replenished, we're restored and ready to move on...
Our intention is to be very near completion before this year ends. Finishing touches may linger a little if they must, I will be patient if necessary...
Driving by it may appear that not much progress has been made, but indeed it has! The building which was filled to the brim with stuff is emptied out. What a job that was! But Don took charge and we worked, worked, worked. We had fun too, finding little treasures along the way. I could hardly keep up with my helper Ruth. Thanks for the use of the Bobcat, Rick!
Next we'll get the grass cut and perimeter cleared and we're ready to go. Soon we will have our demolition permit and we can begin soft stripping the interior. This involves carefully removing any materials we intend to keep for re-use, beginning with trim, then wall and ceiling paneling, floor boards, etc., basically the reverse steps of building a structure.
We are so FORTUNATE to have met Joe and his sweet family who are living on the Island for the Summer. He is ready, willing and able to get the job done! Plus they love the energy of the whole project. Thank you Erika for knowing Joe. A few more helpers would be great, just ask Joe, he'll show you what to do...
Anyone looking for a dependable do anything guy, I think he's it!

Amongst all this we've been working on plans for The Summer Event. It was a little tricky, between figuring out how to make it as successful as our Spring Event, yet the need to be less time consuming with preparations, and finding a date that didn't interfere with the Island's already busy social calendar. This proved a little challenging, but we did our best. We'll just hope for the best for all! We're excitedly sharing ideas on pulling it all together. What we know for sure is that we're thrilled to be having Mack Feltz join us for this fundraiser. After his upcoming repeat Show at The Artworks on June 24th., he will be busy preparing a new series of photos to be revealed at our event on August 14th. How cool is that! We will also have a gallery of some Mission Hall pieces to share. Start out sipping Mimosas while enjoying the art, before sitting down to a full Sunday lunch, all the while enjoying some lovely live background music. Come on out and enjoy some great Mission Hall Energy!
All proceeds go to help fund finishing the new Mission Hall structure.

Go to the 'EVENTS' page for more information.

Also, enjoy our bi-monthly entry in The Grapevine or catch copies of it on the 'THIS AND THAT' page on this site (hover on 'SHARING PELEE'S MAGIC ')

So long, Spring...

... Hello Summer!

Middle of JULY, seasonal pleasures balanced with work...

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PERSEVERANCE, CONTINUED EFFORT to DO or ACHIEVE something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition,
* CONTINUANCE in a state of GRACE to the end.

AS OF, this Monday, JULY 18th, 2016, MISSION HALL will no longer be standing as is...

These will be some of its' last photos taken. A little sad, but new beginnings to look forward to!

After receiving the Demolition Permit, with amazing help and great determination, much was accomplished. We will sacrifice a small amount of beaded board that is covered in lath and plaster, otherwise we will have all of the interior finishes nicely tucked away in storage.
It was the funniest realization. So many times we had wondered out loud, what ever happened to the Sanctuary's wood flooring? Then a few weeks ago as I was looking up at the big old sliding barn door, it struck me that it was made out of a big slab of it! Right there hanging in front of us all this time! Who uses thick 3 inch tongue and groove boards on a barn door? They used whatever they had...
We noticed some of it also was nailed on to cover over the back of the double front doors and arch. The rest probably burned or given another use.

Clean up & Soft stripping

We had a definite pattern of plan. adjust, re-set plan, adjust again...
But ready or not, MONDAY IS THE DAY!

I love the way the light
came in through the
opened attic and shone
energy on this almost dormant space...

Monday, JULY 18th!

At the end of one of the hottest days of the summer, there are only four walls left standing. Roof, gables and chimney all down, plus a few hot thirsty bodies.
What a day! That tree guy John sure knows how to cut and drop wood!

Thank goodness for summer holidays and teenage boys because we had a heck of a lot of lumber to move out before we could continue...

END of JULY.
Queen Anne's Lace season. Sanctuary down. Making way for new beginnings...

Very soon, in the next week or two, we will see signs of the new rebuild. In the meantime we'll pick away at the dropped walls, catch our breath, enjoy some summer and finish preparing for the August 14th, Summer Event.

And what an EVENT it was! Great food, music, art and people! Once again I am overwhelmed by the amount of support... So many helpers and contributors made the event a success. I am forever grateful...

NEARING the end of AUGUST
We are in a good place for hiring helpers to complete the disassembling of the building. Now just to find the workers, I know they are out there somewhere!
Nate has completed the framing of the new structure and soon the roof will be installed...

Beautiful summer skies.

SEPTEMBER 5th,
Back to school tomorrow and back to work on The Mission Hall Project...
Roof looks good! The Winery didn't waste any time this far. Nate will frame for door and window openings once we are ready with decisions on sizing and positioning. After that, the rest is up to us. Time to get some more work done!

Some cool dewy mornings have made way for much magic from Mother Nature.

END of SEPTEMBER, this fallen leaf greeted me at the back patio screened door and has refused to let go all day... I guess I must give in to Fall.

SEPTEMBER 27th,
We found just the guy we needed and what a worker he is!
Ryan basically told me that he didn't need my help to disassemble the walls, just let him take care of it. And he sure did! He would show me his progress in photos at the end of each day, then returned to the Island without me knowing after a few days off, and surprised me with an 'all done' photo. Wow, I received it just as I was telling my right hand lady about him, so incredible!

There you have it! The Sanctuary walls all done. Ryan left four tidy stacks of salvage, trim, siding, shiplap and framing, nails all pulled too. What a big job well done!

He did let me assist him a little when it came time to load up and put all the wood into storage. Thank goodness for those willing to let us store it all in their barns.

A few more pickins along with one more day of moving wood will nicely have everything organized and tucked away. Then we will move on to plans for cleaning up the remains and start preparing the wood for the rebuild finishes... let the fun begin!

Go to PAGE 2, drop down arrow, HOW WE'RE DOING

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