[The Grail]

In this Issue:

1. Changing of the Guard at Grailville
2. Year-End Giving
3. Holiday Schedule: Publications and the National Office
4. Request for Prayers
5. Member Updates
6. Member List Changes
7. Gumbo
8. Grail on the Internet
9. National Calendar
Attachment: Global Justice/Overcoming Poverty Bulletin 83, November 2011

Changing of the Guard at Grailville Noreen Willhelm
In the past five years, Grailville and the Grail have undergone major changes – new leadership at Grailville, a new structure for the Grail, along with a new Movement-Building Scenario and Strategic Plan to guide us all in the coming years. From the latter came the hiring of a national director and the directive for the Grail to support the centers as essential work of the Grail. Over the past two years, in my role as national director, I have helped to flesh out that vision, working with the centers to make sure that they have the resources they need to survive and to grow. Part of the change is my involvement with the leadership of the centers. I work closely with the Grail Council and the National Leadership Team and they have delegated to me the responsibility for hiring and working closely with the centers’ directors. In that capacity, I am pleased to announce some major changes at Grailville.
Pauletta Hansel’s New Role
After five years as co-director of Grailville, Pauletta Hansel has decided to step down from that position. While she will continue to lead programs and coordinate programming at Grailville, Pauletta has a number of other “irons in the fire.” A celebrated poet (her most recent book came out in October) and teacher, with many other roles in our community, Pauletta received her MFA in poetry in January 2011 and next fall, she will become Poet-in-Residence at Thomas More College in Northern Kentucky. She will also be offering poetry programs at Children’s Meeting House Montessori School, right across the street. Pauletta and her co-director, Beth Barr, have done a great job in building a cohesive team among the skilled, passionate staff of Grailville, while managing the place through some difficult times. If you could hear these words, you would hear the sound of applause behind them. Thank you, Pauletta and Beth. Pauletta’s new role with Grailville begins in early February.
Becky Hill Promoted to Director of Grailville
Long-time staff member (and even longer Grail member) Rebecca “Becky” Hill will become the new Director of Grailville in January. She will work in collaboration with Beth Barr, who for personal reasons wants to maintain a part-time co-director’s role, and who is very excited about this new partnership. In the 1980s, Becky served as Business Manager of Grailville and for a time as co-director. For the past six years, she has resumed the role of Business Manager. But as a resident of the Grailville community – she and her husband, Pat Hill (son of Grail member Miriam Hill) live a quarter-mile down the road – her attachment and engagement with Grailville is broader and deeper, beginning with her arrival at Grailville in the 1970s as artist-in-residence. Becky and Pat have been involved in the Grailville farm – working with those pigs below the Ark and owning a share of the cattle grazing in the pasture east of the Caravansary. Becky’s interest in the environmental and sustainability possibilities for Grailville was only heightened by her participation in the International General Assembly (IGA) in South Africa in September and since then, she has been coordinating the new international Sustainable Development/Solidarity Economy working group. She will begin her new role as Grailville director in January. Please join me in wishing Becky and Beth a rewarding partnership and a bright future for Grailville.
Year-End Giving
We are just three weeks from the end of 2011 and this is a reminder that all Active and Wider Grail members are required to make a financial contribution to the Grail every year. There is no set or recommended amount, but even a small gift provides evidence of the value that the Grail provides to you. And it helps to ensure the future of the movement from which you’ve gained so much. Contributions for 2011 must be postmarked by December 31 and they can also be made by online by credit card on the Grail’s website, https://www.grail-us.org/contribute/. If you have any questions or would feel more comfortable making a contribution over the phone, don’t hesitate to call us at (513) 683-5750.
Holiday Schedule: Publications and the National Office
Because of the way the holidays fall this year, the National Grail News will be published on Thursday, December 22, because the 23rd is the Grail’s official Christmas Eve holiday. There will be no National Grail News on December 30, (the official Grail New Year’s Eve), but we will resume the normal schedule in January. Gumbo will be published January 6 and the deadline for submissions is Friday, December 30.
The national office will be closed December 23, 26 and 30 and January 2 and will be very lightly staffed between the holidays. Regular schedules resume on January 3.
Request for Prayers:
§ Elise Gorges: Duanne Welsch writes that Elise Gorges fell last week and broke (smashed!) her elbow and cracked her pelvis. She was in the hospital only a few days; they operated on the elbow that first night and she has a cast from her shoulder to her hand; they can’t really do anything about the pelvis except control the pain and let it heal itself. She was moved to Pilgrim Place Health Services Center (skilled care) on Sunday. Duanne thinks she is doing amazingly well. She was sitting in a chair when Duanne last visited. Elise is already getting physical therapy and is slowly learning to walk and not put pressure on her right arm when she has to get up (with assistance – or at least strong supervision – if you can imagine that!) and transfer from bed to chair, chair to wheel chair, etc. She would appreciate your prayers – especially for patience. She wants to move and is having to learn to call the nurse every time she wants to do almost anything. You can send emails to Duanne or Audrey Sorrento at AudreySorrento@aol.com; cards and messages can be sent to Elise Gorges, c/o Audrey Sorrento, 639 Berkeley Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711.
§ Elena and Rosa Ruiz, who lost their husband/father on Tuesday, December 6th. Elena and her husband, Leonardo, were traveling in Mexico, when Leonardo became very ill and was rushed to a hospital and later died of heart failure. Rosa has gone to Mexico to make arrangements to bring Leonardo’s body back to San Jose and to accompany Elena back.
Member Updates:
§ Alice Dougan, who continues to suffer repercussions from her stroke in October, is recovering at Loveland Health Care Center. She is being kept busy with physical therapy and occupational therapy.
Member List Changes:
§ Janet Kalven, new address effective December 13: 225 Cleveland Avenue, #510, Milford, OH 45150; new phone number is (513) 965-3852

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