Spirit In Nature announces Eco-Spirit Award and Annual Meeting

The Board of Trustees of the Spirit in Nature Paths in Ripton are glad to announce that the 2023 Eco-Spirit Award will be presented to Carol Spooner, founding member of SpIN, at the SpIN Annual Meeting. This meeting will be at the Ripton Community House, on Sunday March 19, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm.

Prior to the Annual Meeting will be a short guided walk, (dress appropriately, bring walking spikes for boots, snow shoes, walking poles...) from 2:30 to 3:30 pm, starting at the SpIN parking area. All are invited to attend one or both of these events, which are free of charge.

Carol Spooner has been a guiding light for SpIN since its inception, starting with the SpIN declaration of purpose: "Spirit In Nature's mission is to educate the community about the environment through the vehicle of traditional religions, and to promote action based on spiritually-sensitive concerns for the environment." Carol was the President of the Spirit In Nature Board of Trustees for ten years, during which she significantly expanded the financial base of the organization, encouraged the growth of its path network, and established ties with faith-based communities in the area.

SpIN maintains a network of walking paths just off Goshen Road in Ripton, on forested land that SpIn maintains under a license agreement with Middlebury College. This year, 2023, marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of SpIN, inspired by the Dalai Lama's visit to Middlebury in 1998. Each path has quotations from a particular spiritual or religious tradition.

In conjunction with SpIN's 25th anniversary, the SpIN board is actively seeking to establish connections with more faith-based groups in the area, to encourage their members to walk their group's existing path and to make suggestions for new quotations. SpIN welcomes individuals seeking to find out more about whether their own faith is represented, and to suggest changes and new ideas for the board to consider.

SpIN paths are open to the public, free of charge, during daylight hours. For more information, see www.spiritinnature.org or e-mail spiritinnature.vermont@gmail.com

Questions? Contact Craig Zondag; Spirit in Nature Board Member

Event Info

Dec 29, 2024, 3 to 4 PM

Dec 31, 2024, 6 to 7 PM

Jan 2, 2025, 6 PM