Why I Created the Program
Greetings! I’m Pam Booker, Founder/Director of Where’s Your Tree? (WYT), and honored to share my “journeywomxn” story with you.
It begins with losing my dad, affectionately called “June,” in 2015 to a car accident that both my mom, “Jennie,” and I survived. Though barely. Within a few short years, mom would spend nearly a year in a nursing facility before returning home to full-time Caregiver assistance. Over the last six years of her life, I shuttled back and forth between Newark and my hometown, Philly, as a “long-distance” Caregiver. (A category of caregiving too often overlooked or not assigned as much value as those who reside on site.)
Nonetheless, I navigated the frustrations of dealing with eldercare Aides, their agencies, medical appointments, finances, and other facets of mom’s day-to-day needs. There were fun times, too, spent watching her favorite television shows, sharing meals and laughter, and trips to the mall when she was in better health. Mom was a feisty, independent-minded woman accustomed to establishing her daily routines. She was beloved by my siblings and me and a diverse group of intergenerational friends, co-workers, and family. Everyone sought her generous counsel and appreciated her joy in life.
Like so many of you, I continued to juggle the demands of my day job and personal responsibilities. What saved me from emotionally drowning from a relentless Assisted-Living Healthcare system was when I sought relief with occasional escapes to the beach, long walks in nearby woods to recharge in the company of grand trees, and charting the big dipper in the crisp, nighttime sky. Communing with nature helped serve up small acts of renewal and rejuvenation for doing it all again. Those small moments saved and prepared me for my mother’s transition in early 2021.
Though heartbroken and exhausted, I committed to redirecting my creative life expression more meaningfully and, by extension, in her honor, by providing Black, brown, and other womxn of color with access to rural residency getaways.
Mom, Dad, Pam
ELIGIBILITY + faqs
ELIGIBILITY: Retreats are open to BIPOC womxn who are Newark residents and identify as female. We welcome all compassionate expressions: genderqueer, cis, conforming/nonconforming, LGBTQIA.
- Applicants are mid-to-late career age, mature (49 yrs. and older), self-motivated, independent spirit, and comfortable in rural spaces that offer solitude.
- Applicants are engaged as caregivers through elder-family, special needs school-age children, or employment.
- Applicants practice/identify as one or more: artist, food grower, wellness healer, community activist/organizer, or educator.
- Applicants have or desire a relationship with nature, the environment, and sustainable living in alignment with the Where's Your Tree Mission.
- Applicant projects while in the retreat will reflect compatibility with the facilities offered by our Host Partners.
FACILITIES: (see links to each site below in Host Partners section)
Housing: Residential facilities are provided by Host Partners, located on rural land in New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Maryland. Their in-kind donations offset the cost of housing an awardee for 5-7 days to take long walks, fulfill your passions, and commune with nature. In addition, each resident is provided a private studio or room at no cost, or a cabin equipped with a full kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and wifi.
Meals: Residents must purchase groceries (or bring them) and prepare their food at Heathcote Community and Welcome Hill Studios. Princeton-Blairstown Center has a cafeteria on site. Special diets can be discussed in advance.
TRANSPORTATION: Heathcote Community and Welcome Hill Studios are easily accessible by Amtrak, an essential benefit to city dwellers who may not drive or others who want to use fewer footprints. Princeton-Blairstown requires driving.
GROUNDS: Each site offers expansive wooded acres and walking paths, enjoyable in all four seasons. Expect to see wildlife of all kinds on these properties. Remember to bring appropriate clothing, footwear, and a flashlight. A rain jacket, walking stick, and bug spray are suggested for the warmer months.
SESSION SCHEDULE: Residency dates are at the discretion of the Host Partner. Some offer flexible dates, and others are based on availability.
SMOKING: Smoking is not permitted on the grounds.
COVID-19 Rationale: In compliance with agreements with Host Partners, our retreat awardees are expected to be vaccinated as the most robust line of defense against the spread of the virus. Masks are strongly encouraged when indoors and in close contact with others.
MEET OUR HOST PARTNERS
Heathcote Intentional Community + Farm, MD
Heathcote Intentional Community + Farm, MD
Heathcote Intentional Community + Farm, MD
For 55 years, the historic Heathcote Mill has been the heart of the Heathcote Community. Currently, event programming is on hold while the community prepares to renovate the Mill. Heathcote offers two bedrooms and a kitchen available for guests. There is also a regenerative, small-scale, intensive farm on the grounds that offers hands-on sustainable growth opportunities. The farm demonstrates the application of permaculture design principles to utilize marginal land to produce vegetable, herb, mushroom, and berry crops.
Welcome Hill Studios, NH
Heathcote Intentional Community + Farm, MD
Heathcote Intentional Community + Farm, MD
Each selected resident is provided a private cabin with studio space. While each cabin is secluded and feels remote, it's reassuring to know that the cabins are actually quite close to each other and there is someone available to help at the main house should any problem arise. There are three to choose from; the Studio of One's Own, the Guesthouse, or the Lean-To. Each studio has a kitchen, bathroom, full-size bed, and wifi. In addition, there are walking paths throughout 120 wooded acres that are enjoyable in all four seasons.
Princeton-Blairstown Center, NJ
Heathcote Intentional Community + Farm, MD
Princeton-Blairstown Center, NJ
Tucked away in Warren County’s farm country, PBC serves young people, primarily from historically marginalized communities, through camping, environmental, and adventure-based programming. PBC staff develop customized programs to meet specific meeting or retreat needs for groups of all sizes. Accommodations are comfortable and close to nature. PBC houses up to 140 people in 10 beautiful hand-hewn log cabins, each outfitted with bunk beds. Wood and propane stoves make cool-weather stays cozy. In addition, several houses and lodges were recently updated with modern, indoor facilities for adult groups.
WHY DO IT
"You will come here to walk on the earth. You will come to sit on the stargazing chair at midnight to remember what's up there. You will come for the silence of your soul." -- Welcome Hill Studios
This reposeful quote captures everything we hope is discovered by an awardee during the retreat experience.
If you believe there is "no expira
"You will come here to walk on the earth. You will come to sit on the stargazing chair at midnight to remember what's up there. You will come for the silence of your soul." -- Welcome Hill Studios
This reposeful quote captures everything we hope is discovered by an awardee during the retreat experience.
If you believe there is "no expiration date on creativity," the direct impact of these Caregiver Retreats will be measurable. Improved emotional and physical health, reduced social isolation, and the excitement of engaging with art or growing food or other healthy sustainable practices on one's terms.
Awardees gain appreciative knowledge and value themselves in the world. Studies reveal that Black and Latina womxn, for example, are paying more attention to their self-care, understanding that to care for others requires optimal health.
Moreover, we hope our awardees will reignite a relationship with themselves as artists and green practitioners who are also caregivers. Joy lives in reaffirming our value and ability to exist without the expiration labeling too often assigned to womxn during mid-to-late-career transitions.
