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® �. success stories in preservation ......................... ............................... retreats for Volunteer Preservationists byAnn S. Cousins A bit of magic happens when local volunteer preservationists gather at the Grand Isle Lake House to talk about community projects. Part of the magic comes from the passion of indi- viduals who care deeply about their communities. Another part is when participants dis- cover that there are others out there with similar hopes and experiences. And finally there's the setting! The turn- of-the- century former hotel, Grand Isle Lake House, now owned by the Preservation Trust of Vermont; is the ideal place for a retreat! For the past three years, the Preservation Trust of Ver- mont has hosted two -day retreats for volunteers from community groups working on similar kinds of preservation projects. The retreats are tied closely with the work of the Field Services Program —a part- nership of the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the National Trust —which pro- vides direct assistance to groups undertaking community preser- vation projects. Six or seven different groups attend each retreat, held about four times a year. Retreat organizers look for a good mix of interesting projects at different points along their timeline. According to Paul Bruhn, exec- utive director for the Preserva- tion Trust of Vermont, "The participants mentor each other, learn that they are not the only ones working on very challeng- ing projects, and see that they are all part of the process of building better communities and helping to protect the char- acter of Vermont." During the retreat, groups of two -to -four individuals pre- sent a 10 -15 minute case study about their preservation proj- ect. The case study is meant to frame a' specific problem or situation that, once solved, will catapult that project to a higher level. Following the presenta- tion, participants spend about 45 minutes brainstorming and cross- mentoring. Along with community preservationists, two or three resource people are part of the mix. Depending on the proj- ects, they might include some- one from the state historic preservation office, the National Trust Northeast Office, the Ver- mont Arts Council or a fund- raising consultant, developer, or architect. But by -and- large, it is the community volunteers who bring collective thinking and experience to one another's projects. At times, mentors have challenged the credibility of the problem, turning a proj- ect on its head before sending it down another path. Other times they have validated a group's intuition. But always, participants have been gener- ous with advice, often going beyond the retreat to visit one anther's projects and provide ongoing support. Besides the case study dis- cussions, the retreats allow time, before and after dinner, for more casual discussion — maybe during a walk, or sitting on the porch, or gathering around a scrapbook or display. During those special moments, ideas continue to flow with even more out -of -the box thinking. According to Sandy Kilburn, a retreat participant from Swanton, Vt., "It's so important to get together —to be inspired by what other towns are doing and to learn from them so that we don't reinvent the wheel. It's invaluable!" And finally there's the set- ting! Bringing people together in an inspiring location brings out the best. Owned by the Preservation Trust of Vermont, this 1902 -03 former hotel on Lake Champlain is a preserva- tion project in progress. "Part of the reason we decided to take 'on the Grand Isle Lake House project was that we hoped we could use this great place as a venue for nonprofit training and education," says Bruhn. "In fact, we hoped it would be our version of a nonprofit `dacha' — a place for renewal and re -ener- gizing people active in the non- Ire brattnstormingsessions, retreat parttcipttnts advise theirpeers on etittdiingfrom negotiating with pmperey owners to ftindn &ing ::Photo caurteg ofPreservation TrrutofVennont. ; profit sector." A modest subsidy from the Preservation Trust helps to keep the experience affordable. An overnight stay with dinner, breakfast, and lunch costs $75 per person. "And in the end," says Bruhn, "it's truly amazing to see people fly out of the Lake House with new energy and enthusi- asm." The retreats help build Vermont's preservation network. Ann Cousins is the UermontField Service Representative for the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the National Tnrst. For more information about the Field Service Program, the Grand Isle Lake House, andPreservationr ts'Retreats, please visit the Preservation Trust website at www.ptvermont.org. j A • N • U • A • R . Y % .F .E. .B. .R. .U..A .R .Y. 2 . 0 . O .Z . . . . . . . . . . . .