Community Activities & Initiatives

This page describes some projects and activities that community residents have initiated, rather than “official” LVC organizational or community projects. Whether something is an official community project or not does mean something has more or less inherent value, but instead is based on if there is any particular need for a project to be collectively and official managed. In this sense, the community is like a small town in some ways. The town’s local government will host a small number of official town-wide initiatives and events itself, but most of the activities that happen in the town that provide much of the richness of citizen’s recreational life, etc., are initiated through individuals and groups of people outside of the official town-managed events.

The activities described below and many other continually evolving and spontaneous initiatives of residents are often important parts of the lives of many residents at LVC. Most of these are just for fun, some are just one time events, and other resident initiatives are their own burgeoning micro-enterprises.

Musical Groups:
There are usually many musicians at Lost Valley, with various tastes and styles, and they often form musical groups or have themed music nights or spontaneous jams. There are frequent folk music song circles, occasional bluegrass jams, and fairly regular drum circles.

Sporting:
Residents have a variety of interests in athletic activities. Some play Frisbee golf on the nearby Dexter Lake world class Frisbee golf course. Some residents have gotten soccer games going at the community lawn, or when more space is needed, at nearby Elijah Bristow state park, and most recently a game of kickball. From time to time, a resident will step up to lead group yoga sessions. There have been roller skating, bowling, pool playing, hiking, cross country skiing, and swimming expeditions.

Arts and Crafts:
There are usually a variety of artists and crafts people in the community, such as painters, knitters, and jewelry makers.

Movie Nights:
There is a room with a common TV and sound system, and occasionally a projector is used for movie nights – sometimes movies with educational value, others just for entertainment and relaxation.

Celebrations:
There are many spontaneous or planned celebrations in the community. Some are community wide, while others are just a small group of friends enjoying each other’s company. Residents often celebrate birthdays and dance parties are quite common.

Philosophicial, Spiritual and Religious Events:
Residents hold a great variety of philosophical, spiritual, religious, views from agnostic or atheistic to highly committed to a specific spiritual path, to exploring in many paths. Any resident is welcome to initiate a spiritual ritual or event and host it in their own living space or reserve an appropriate common space, indoors or outdoors, for the gathering. Anywhere from 1-60 people may choose to participate. Some examples of gatherings that residents have inititated include Earth-Based and Celtic seasonal holidays, such as Solstice celebrations and Beltaine, Jewish Sedars, Christmas celebrations, philosophical discussions, deep ecology workshops, kirtans (sacred chanting and singing circles), and group meditations.