Please send your 501(C)3 tax deductible contributions to the treasurer: Jim Ross, 1611 N. Roberts, Fresno, CA 93710
Questions? email Jim Ross or phone (559) 439-7534 Thank you!

Dear Mill People,

I have exciting news, and I'll start with a little background. Our current status vis a vis the place called Sweet's Mill is that we are using it under a life estate stewardship by our non-profit. Upon the eventual passing of Edith Byxbe, the ownership will go to the heirs of Virgil and Edith Byxbe. The heirs do not want to sell or make any other long-term agreements with the community non-profit. This makes it impossible for us to invest in costly improvements which might make us more comfortable or allow us to use the place at more than current levels. Therefore we expend great energy in rigging and striking our scene every year, instead of building practical, aesthetic and enduring systems. We are overpopulated and our doors are virtually closed to the others clamoring to join in. We have been combing the hills for a suitable and attainable place to be our home forever, for future generations, etc.

And we found such a place, a stone's throw from the Mill, just below the town of Shaver. 134 acres, $195,000, pristine, raw. Beautiful year 'round stream (auspiciously named Muisck Creek) with waterfalls, granite pools, potential for abundant swimming... Musick Falls. All who have seen it will extol its beauty. You can see it too, if you want to drop in (contact Leroy or Jem).

Land availability and prices being what they are, we jumped at the opportunity to hedge against uncertain future scenarios resulting from private ownership. We did a lot of research on the situation and concluded that it is at the very least a great investment, financially. Of course, the potential goes far beyond cash or equity We turned over all stones we could find in our investigations and put down $10,000 cash deposit, upon unanimous board of directors vote. We sent out a solicitation/update flyer or two and held off closing of escrow til just after Sweet's Mill camp '01. At camp, we had meetings in which the community re-crafted our policies and the board made it so. Many folks had a chance to visit and lie beneath the alders while the stream tickled their toes, and to bathe in the granite pools, etc. W/in a few days of camp's end, we had raised our down payment, plus our needed cushion for immediate costs. We closed the deal on July 30! In just over two months we raised close to $100k through total grass roots support of this vision. (About 400 parties have contributed so far.)

Near as I can tell, it didn't even hurt too bad. Which is important, since there is much to be done. First of all, we have to stay in communication with each other. This web site is a beginning. Also, please send us your email address so we can keep you on the list serve, which is noncommercial and not personal and only the board of directors can send on. Please help us keep it up-to-date!

And we should all realize that no one (to my knowledge) is advocating leaving Sweet's Mill at this time or anytime soon! We remain committed to loving, caring for and using the Mill. Things are getting better all the time and we have more improvements to make. (I think the new kitchen is currently, finally at the top of the list.) And, the community expressed a lot of support for a few fiscal policies, including:

repaying the camp fund for the $10k which we used for a deposit-we will need the cash for building the new kitchen at Sweet's Mill and other costs between now and registration for '02;

undertaking no significant costs for improvements at Musick until the purchase note is paid off-about $110k, I believe. The feeling was that we need not service the debt, risk foreclosure or pay any more interest than is absolutely necessary;

refinance the loan through the Bank of the Mill, where folks having $10k or more to invest could refinance the loan and make 5%, saving us from the current 8.5%. These notes would then be paid off ASAP.

Please feel free to spread the word to other family and friends who might be interested, and remember that contributions are 100% tax deductible-we will send you a 501©3 letter upon receipt. We need our generous, ongoing support, and each of us will have her part to play. If you can't make a contribution at this time, perhaps you would like to pledge some cash before or after the turn of the new year. We also wish to help people shopping for a satisfying way to invest G.W. Bush's tax refund. We are working on a monthly auto-transfer arrangement, so please contact our treasurer if this might work for you, or if you would like to be a part of the Bank of the Mill and make 5% on your investment cash.

If we can imagine it, we can create it. A connection to nature and creativity for the young people. A relaxing, gorgeous retreat. A world class venue for all manner of creative endeavor. A year 'round site for the teaching, learning and preservation of precious human and natural resources. Libraries and recording facilities for rare and unusual materials. Potential building, teaching. performing, catering gigs for many. Do we have the power, vision and resources to give this gift to ourselves and to future generations? I say it's a piece of cake. A place like this in the north or the south would cost millions.

As a community, we have unfathomable resources. We are synergetic, to boot: when we work together, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. To not use what we have for the making of something lasting and great, this would seem a crime.

Many thanks and blessings to us all this late summer and fall, and to our sister the earth and our brothers and sisters the beasts and the trees.

Jemmy Bluestein

questions? Jemmy (559) 298-1623 or Jim Ross (559) 439-7534
jimlynnros@aol.

email