With their master plan focused on an initial outreach into Frederick County, Maryland, their nearest town, as the starting point for what is intended to be a DMV regional project, Anastasia Rosen-Jones, Executive Director and Founder of the New Horizons/Small "Zones of Peace" Project, and long-time collaborator, Sue deVeer, have named their new non-profit, Black Bear Mountain Village, Inc. in recognition of their beautiful mountainside location, the site of their community development project, Black Bear Mountain Village (BBMV). And indeed, black bears do live here.
Situated on ten acres just above Harper's Ferry on the Maryland side of the national park, the headquarters of the project has been -- and -- continues to be -- undergoing a major remodeling effort begun not long after the pandemic took hold in mid-2020. New outdoor seating and meeting settings in their wooded glen and new trails up the mountainside are part of the long-range vision, now layng out its foundations, preparing for an almost outrageously huge, long-term endeavor, already set in motion. The purpose of the current remodeling and development project is the reopening of what was originally the New Horizons Retreat Center to now be an experiential training location for the new Black Bear Mountain Village Inc.non-profit.
Significantly -- the entirety of the design they are working from actually dates back fifty years, celebrated this year, an adventurous tale worth knowing, soon to be published in fantasy, historical fiction form, intended to be a Black Bear Mountain Village playbook for social activists. Camelot Disrupted is due out in 2024.
The new entity, evolving out of the organization's former non-profit, New Horizons Support Network Inc, was initially based in Montgomery County and focused on treating the dysfunctional dynamics between codependents and power addicts. The new non-profit is the latest iteration of the original entity and its various projects.
Drawing on community organizing principles such as "it takes a village," the BBMV Project sets out, in particular, to embody the words of Mahatma Gandhi speaking to what is needed fundamentally to build a world peace -- "begin by carving out territories or zones of peace where violence and deceit won’t be used.”
"The BBMV philosophy augments those words, adding that a “small zone of peace” can be anywhere, even your own backyard,” states Anastasia. "And we are aiming to -- using experiential education as our model -- train people in doing this -- starting off in OUR backyard."
Interested individuals, groups and organizations can keep in touch through our blogs and podcasts to find out how our tale unfolds and how they can be part of this innovative solution to our current mental health crisises -- personal isolation and nationwide polarization. Of particular concern is the disconnect between people highlighted by the pandemic era. Building "zones of peace" community structures -- is our solution. We are seeking volunteers, interns and new members to add to our Board of Directors. We invite you to build community with us.
For information on participating in this profound project, contact us at: Mountainwomanrj@aol.com