As we head into another fall in the high desert, we are planning for another Stone Cabin work party & Fall Elder Wellness Clinic up at Big Mountain. This is a fundraiser to support both projects.
Elder Wellness Week:
The Stone Cabin Wellness Clinic Project is an all-volunteer group of herbalists, massage practitioners, acupuncturists and supporters who offer free services in solidarity with the Diné people of Black Mesa in their continuous resistance to massive coal and uranium mining operations, and those affected by the forced relocation policies of the US government. The clinic is guided and hosted by Marykatherine Smith at Big Mountain and is offered at various senior centers on Dinétah 1-2x a year.
This project has always been supported and sustained by a far reaching network of caring people, & we are once again calling on the generosity of our communities to help us host another successful clinic this October!
Stone Cabin Building & Repair Expenses:
While we think we can pull off a clinic with $2,500 (for herbs, massage tables & sheets, capsules, office supplies, etc.), we are also fundraising to cover the cost of repairing the walls of the beloved namesake of this project, the Stone Cabin itself! While replacing the roof last year, it became clear that the beautiful hand built walls also need some TLC. If there are any remaining funds & time, we will also make some improvements to the outdoor kitchen.
The Stone Cabin was built in 1965 by Marykatherine’s mother, Katherine Smith and a helping hand now & then; she financed the build by selling her cattle and bartered for the labor. This structure has since served as a family home, a community gathering place, a workshop hub, and resource distribution site during Covid.
With $2,500 Marykatherine & friends are hoping to patch & reconstruct the earthen walls of the Stone Cabin before winter rain & snow comes around. If you have the means, please consider supporting this project with a donation!
Organizer
Sasha Timpson
Organizer
Tucson, AZ