At The Mountain, there is much to be grateful for. The past two years of COVID have revealed much about The Mountain as an institution and as a community.  Repeatedly, we have observed and demonstrated resilience and dedication, while focusing on the positive and looking to the future potential of this special place.

As Mountain staff, members, and guests have engaged in inspirational discussions and programs, plans have evolved for more closely aligning with our core values. This is a time of gratitude and anticipation for The Mountain.

Grateful Gathering

Intergenerational Program

November 24 - 28

The upcoming intergenerational program of Grateful Gathering during Thanksgiving weekend is an opportunity to rethink how we, as individuals and as an organization, interact with people and our earth. 

Working with peoples of the Cherokee and Maskoke communities, we will learn more about the effects of colonization and the potential benefits of decolonization. 

Additional workshops include: our relationship with the land and food, regenerative agriculture, and the Maskoke Ecovillage. 

There will also be nature-based crafts, films, music, and time to make new friends and reconnect with old friends as we share and learn together. 

We would be grateful to have you join us. 

Grateful for Mountain Staff

Housing Project 

Some projects are discussed for years, and then the time comes for action.

The Mountain's staff housing is such a project.

We are so grateful for our competent and dedicated Mountain staff.  And yet, as many of us know, they have been allowed to live in substandard housing – there have always been other projects considered higher priorities.

This project has been launched!! 

We are demonstrating our gratitude in tangible ways.

Of the five trailers in staff housing, two are in the process of being removed. 

The construction dumpster was delivered this week, the trailers will be disposed of in a manner aligned with our values. Everything possible will be salvaged, repurposed, or recycled, making space for the new staff housing. Hurray! We are on our way!

If your values are aligned with our staff housing project, you can be involved in making this happen.

Demolition – beginning in early November, we will be taking these trailers apart and filling the dumpster.  If you have wanted to see these trailers go away, thought of learning to use power tools or want to release some energy by using a sledge hammer – please join us for a weekend, a week, or longer. 

This is a significant project for our community.  We will be grateful for volunteers as we share in problem-solving, accomplishments, likely comical events, and celebration as the dumpster is taken away and we see clear space for housing units.

The Mountain's staff housing project is more than a dream!  David Zenner, architect, has designed 700 square foot energy-efficient units. We have estimates for building with Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS), the projected cost for eight units is $500,000.  Units will be built as funds are available.

First Rendering Design Plans 

To be involved in providing staff housing aligned with our values:

• Donate to the restricted fund, only $370,000 to meet our final goal – currently $30,000 cash and $100,000 pledge.
• Volunteer your time and talents in the demolition of the old trailers and construction of the new units (preparing the land, building the foundation, assembling the panels, installing appliances, helping staff move into new spaces). 
• Help plan the celebration for this important accomplishment for The Mountain community.
• How would you like to be involved in this project?

Gratitude for Generosity

The generosity of hundreds of people reflects their love of The Mountain, their support in caring for this place, as well as belief in the potential for this institution making a difference in the world.

We are grateful for Mountain members who have provided a $50,000 match for donations received in November. 

As the word has gotten out about this match, we have already received almost $8,000, with donors carefully dating their checks November 1. Thank you for getting us off to a good start!

Because all contributions to The Mountain are applied to the work of fulfilling our mission, your donation may be used for what is most meaningful for you. 

Options include:

Annual campaign –  funds our day-to-day operations. Helping to pay the utility bill, replace linens, or fill pot-holes on the road may be less enticing than special projects, but these funds are essential for successful operations providing excellence in guest experiences. The Mountain's annual goal is $431,000 with $260,000 received in unrestricted funds.  

Special project – this includes staff housing, new mattresses, cabin upgrades, and numerous other projects. These projects improve what we currently do, as well as build for the future potential of The Mountain.

If you would like to learn more about supporting a special project, please contact Beverly Cree, who will be delighted to discuss your interests and ideas. 

The Mountain Endowment – over $600,000 and growing daily. As the fund grows, the endowment provides fiscal security for the future of The Mountain, as well as providing a small annual gift that supports a special project. Projects supported by The Mountain Endowment include: acoustic panels in the dining hall, automatic door openers for public buildings, cushioned chairs in the Tree House, solar panels, and dishware for the dining hall.

Giving Tuesday, established nine years ago, is a movement that unleashes the power of radical generosity around the world. This initiative reimagines a world built upon shared humanity and generosity. The day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, is a traditional holiday shopping day. Cyber Monday, after Thanksgiving, has become an online shopping day. In contrast, Giving Tuesday, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is a time to support organizations or initiatives aligned with our values.

We invite you to consider including The Mountain in your contributions.

All donations to The Mountain are tax-deductible

and may be made through our website.

or by check (preferable for fewer fees)

  Mailing address: PO Box 1299, Highlands, NC  28741

Contributions may also be made through stock transfers or IRA donations.  Please contact Beverly Cree to discuss other possibilities.

Gratitude for you!

To the hundreds of people who care deeply about this special place,

The Mountain. We are immensely appreciative for your concern and support, for your engagement in dreaming about the potential for the future and then actively working with others to make those dreams a reality.

We look forward to all of you returning to The Mountain soon, and inviting others to join us on this mountaintop to participate in programs, gain knowledge, and immerse ourselves in community and nature. 

We can accomplish great things for The Mountain and the wider world.

By working together we are building for the future. 

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”  

~~Walt Disney