About Us
The Gathering Place...A Center For Wellness promotes individual wellness through education, classes, therapy, and personal-empowerment techniques. Wellness is a balanced state including Body-Mind-Spirit. We provide cutting-edge information which is distributed by our web site, classes, and newsletters. Our Center is quiet, nestled up to the sacred mountain peaks that border our Upper Arkansas Valley in Colorado. All are welcome to come and shed the cares of the busy city life. There are meditation groves, wildlife, water, and peace. Soon we will construct a 7-Path Labyrinth that is wheelchair accessible. We are home to a large wholistic and spiritual Reference Library with more that 5,000 books. They await a large building to be displayed and made accessible.
Our Center's 24 acres are permanent home to our two Directors - Elayna and Jessica - and our 7 rescued cats - the "House-of-Purrr". A friendly large oxen, "Mr. White" also can be seen wandering and munching in the fields. You can even hear the flapping of the raven's wings as they fly overhead. Come bring your lunch, relax and share. We are always available for "talking and sharing".
Both Elayna and Jessica are Reiki Teaching Masters, master dowsers, have an extensive spiritual focus on the teaching of the Masters, the Christ, Divine Mother, and current teachings. Elayna is a Graphologist (Scientific Handwriting Analysis) and well-versed in aromatherapy and wholistic health. Jessica sees and works with your auric (energy) field and offers intuitive readings.
While we have been sharing in this Valley since 1992, our Center's acreage was acquired only 1.5 years ago - and is a "work-in-progress". It presented itself via a beautiful rainbow. Who could resist, especially when two adorable kitties came with the property! Come share with us.
Who We Are
The Gathering Place...A Center For Wellness is here to provide education and personal empowerment in wholistic health - the whole Body-Mind-Spirit complex that we know as "Us". We network the people who seek with those individuals and businesses that are in the practice of assisting others in achieving the state of personal wellness/wholeness. We provide a safe space for personal growth and empowerment.
Our Organization's Mission
The Center provides education, research, counseling, spiritual guidance, personal empowerment, and integration of the whole Body-Mind-Spirit complex known as "You" through the many disciplines of wholistic health.
Who We Serve
The Gathering Place Center serves our community of the Upper Arkansas Valley and surrounding areas with special attention to our elders, women, and all those who are seeking a different way to achieve a state of personal wellness/wholeness. We offer education and options to those who are challenged with a "transformative illness".
Our Programs
Education forms the largest part of our outreach. Classes are offered on a regular basis to the community to introduce different modalities in the field of wholistic health and techniques for personal growth. These are free at the local coffee house lecture room. The Center has an extensive Reference Library for individual research. We also maintain an on-line Magazine for information to the worldwide public. We assist in the production of the Arkansas Valley Holistic Guide which networks the local practitioners. In-depth workshops and seminars are offered throughout the year to educate in wholistic health. Also, we now enjoy 24 acres on which to build our Retreat Center which will offer a 7-Path Labyrinth and meditation areas. All are welcome to come and talk/share - or pet a cat. Personal sessions are offered by appointment to assist the individual in their personal growth and wellness.
Upcoming Events
Free Lecture Series begins again in May of 2009 at Bongo Billy's Salida Cafe.
Assisting with the Arkansas Valley Holistic Guide for 2009-2010.
Participating in the June Holistic Fair in Salida, Colorado.
Organizing our local AIDS Walk to raise funds for the Colorado AIDS Project.
Workshops on "Empowerment through Dowsing for Health", "Secrets Your Handwriting Reveal-and How to Make Changes".
Leadership Profile
Elayna Kay, a graduate of San Jose State University, is our Founding Director and brings an extensive background in health, wholistic health, and spiritual studies. She worked for over 30 years in the medical technology field while studying Graphology, alternative health disciplines, dowsing, aromatherapy, Reiki, Sacred Geometry, and writing. She and "brothers-in-fur" are a love-affair at first sight.
Jessica Saunders, a graduate of Florida State University, is our master Librarian and resident intuitive visionary. She studied extensively with Katrina Raphael in the application of gemstone healing techniques. Since childhood she has had the gift of seeing and understanding the human auric (energy) field. She has studied dowsing, sacred geometry, comparative religions and spirituality, Reiki, and aromatherapy. Also, she is a published poet and teacher.
Board of Directors
Elayna Kay, Founding Director and President
Jessica Saunder, Co-Founder and Vice-President
Jeannine Pelletier, Secretary-Treasurer
Board of Advisors
The Center networks and receives support from our entire local wholistic practitioners community. The network ranges from ND's, acupuncturists, nutritionists, energetic workers of all disciplines, massage therapists, and spiritual support individuals.
Major Supporters and Sponsors
The Saunders Trust Fund
The Phoenix Nest
Individual Fundraising events in the Upper Arkansas Valley area
| Year Founded : |
1992 |
| 501(c)(3) Ruling Year : |
1999 |
| Volunteers : |
3 |
| Annual Income : |
$20,000 |
| Amount Spent Fundraising : |
$1,000 |
What Sets Us Apart
We are all ONE - every person is treated with sacred respect for their personal journey. There is no such thing as a 'stupid or inappropriate questions'. The Center has an extensive network of information and practitioners so the individual may easily locate that 'perfect match' that will assist them in their journey of exploration. We Care - We will assist you with your Changes in these 'Interesting Times'.
Objectives for This Fiscal Year
To build a Library workshop building 30' x 20' to begin organizing the books for the public access. This will free-up the large greenhouse where they are currently stored. That will allow the growing of food for our group. Est. = $50,000.
Construct the wheelchair accessible 7-Path Labyrinth on the property. Size = 52' wide. Est. for rocks and construction = $5,000.
Establish a monetary fund to assist our elders in receiving the necessary dental work needed. Many fall between the 'assistance-cracks' of the usual rescue funds. If you can not chew your food properly, you do not receive the necessary nutrition to stay well.
Continue with the local, informational lectures and workshops. Also, we are continuing to improve the quality of the information offered on our magazine website. This is backed-up with occasional hard-copy printed materials.
Recent Accomplishments
The 2008 Free Wholistic Lecture Series @ Bongo Billy's was concluded successfully.
Participated in two, local wholistic Fairs with lots of people-contacts.
Fundraiser using a local merchants discount card - helps the merchants with more business; helps the community with discounts on purchases.
Purchase of the Center's Retreat property - 24 secluded acres north of Salida, Colorado. We also provided work for two elders and one other gentlemen on the property repairs and upkeep.
Expansion of The Gathering Place Magazine & Resource Guide on the web - and the daily upkeep of the information on the site.
We now provide a permanent home for 7 rescued cats - our "House-of-Purrr".
