From the desk of Heather Gallant, 577 Executive Director
Many folks take a moment to reflect as the year comes to a close. What was this year like? What did I do? Who did I meet? How did I grow? What did I gain, and lose? What am I most proud of? Was I fully present? If I could do it all over again, would I do anything differently?
I recently became aware of this free handbook from YearCompass that provides structure to these ponderings. As I reviewed it for myself, I realized we could reflect on these questions with friends and family to deepen our relationships with them, or even use them to review the successes, experiments, and lessons learned here at 577 this year.
I took a minute to ask our staff how they might respond and here are a few of their 2024 reflections and insights:
“This year, the most important thing I did for others was helping people understand that art and creativity aren’t exclusive to those deemed ‘talented’ by our culture. Using our hands to create is our birthright. – Connie Stose, Program Manager
“The biggest lesson I learned this year was that to-do lists (at home and at work) are never-ending and I need to let go of the unrealistic expectation that all things can be (or need to be) accomplished today. Instead, I’m focusing on small steps, forward momentum, and knowing when to call it a day!” – Kelly Rose Hirsh, Assistant Director
“This year, I am most proud of our Community Gardener picnic in September. We have 58 plots, we are all different, and we all come together so easily and authentically (with delicious food). -Samantha Day, Organic Garden Horticulturist
“This year, the wisest decision I made was dedicating more time to spend with my family and friends every month.” -Julie Beutler, Pottery Studio Manager and Ceramic Artist
Aren’t these beautiful reflections? For me, this year I am most grateful for my unmatched 577 colleagues. Our team is small but mighty, meager yet eager. We find ways to help and collaborate with each other every single day respectfully, warmly, and in a way that invites healthy risk and productive challenges. I couldn’t be luckier than to work at such a beautiful place, and it’s made all the better by these wonderfully talented, kindhearted Renaissance people.
If you’ve been involved at 577 this year in any way, I hope whatever you did here makes your list in the section “The Best Moments” of this past year. Whether you gardened, volunteered, tried something new in a class, practiced pottery, visited with friends, or found a good book in the Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop, I hope you found some refuge, solace, connection, and curiosity.
If that’s true for you, please consider paying a little of that back with a financial contribution to 577 to close out the year. 577’s annual budget is $1.3 million, and as a private organization that does not receive public tax funding, we rely on your charitable gifts to keep 577 thriving for you and the entire community. A gift to the Serendipity Fund “keeps some room in our hearts for the unimaginable,” providing a little financial space for 577 to be able to hop on opportunities that we couldn’t possibly plan for in the next few years.
Incidentally, the free YearCompass handbook also has a section for you to set some intentions for yourself in 2025. I hope your dreams for yourself in the coming year include some play, some time to connect with what’s important to you, some generosity toward others, some opportunities for creating something, some memories made outside in nature.
In other words, I hope it includes some 577.
Thank you for being a part of this magic.
Heather
