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Global Sufficiency Network’s Community Group Initiative is an important part
of our mission to support the spread of the message and practice of sufficiency.
Our Community Group initiative is a diverse and committed collection of people
who are dedicated to exploring sufficiency in their lives and in the world.
These groups host local gatherings and events that are of interest to those
who participate. Participation in these Local Community Groups is an excellent
way to meet others invested in sufficiency, exchange ideas, and expand your
understanding of and access to sufficiency.
Jen Kochevar and Susan Motzko are the Community Group Initiative Coordinators
If you are interested in learning more about serving as a Community Group
Contact in your area – please contact Jen at
jen@doorwaysofdiscovery.com,
612-875-3751; or Susan at 763-515-0447.
Global Sufficiency Network Local Community Group Contacts:
Minneapolis, MN:
Jen Kochevar
612-875-3751
jen@doorwaysofdiscovery.com
Susan Motzko
763-515-0447
susan.motzko@executive-results.com
Boston, MA:
Jennifer Cohen
978.274.2089
jen@sevenstonesleadership.com
Norfolk, MA:
Lora Cecca Lyons
508.954.1614
lora@lyonsleadershipcoaching.com
Austin, TX:
Hana Bakir
512-633-4116
hanabakir@aol.com
San Antonio, TX:
Marilyn Levin
512-957-1265
marilyn@globalsufficiency.org
San Francisco, CA:
Kay Sandberg
415.386.5599
kay@soulofmoney.org
Chicago, IL:
Lorraine Antieau
773-583-2852
lorraineantieau@sbcglobal.net
State of Georgia:
Lorraine Edey
321-288-0692
LoriDey@aol.com
Portland, OR:
Patriciafaye Marshall
503-474-9345
patriciafaye@comcast.net
New York, NY:
Frank Mancini
917-913-3189
francis_mancini@earthlink.net
New Haven, CT:
Gina La Roche
978-274-2089
glaroche@sevenstonesleadership.com
Tampa, FL:
Shareda Hosein
617-699-3709
shareda@comcast.net
Washington, DC:
Kate Ebner & Jan Kearce
202-966-3201
kebner@nebocompany.com
Toronto, ON, Canada:
Arnold Molder
416-461-0204
morwatch@ca.inter.net
Jing Ye & Leslie
647-668-2223
gsn@sufficiencyquest.com
Vancouver, BC, Canada:
Isabelle St-Jean
604 708-1585
info@inspiredmomentum.com
Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama:
Ken Cadigan
512-448-0088
kencadigan@yahoo.com
Senegal, Africa:
Kadessa Blanchard
skype address: princeabba
messianique@gmail.com
Spotlight On: GSN Local Community Leaders
By: Jen Kochevar, Minneapolis, MN
It’s Monday morning, and it’s snowing … and it’s snowing a lot. I am a little
worried because tonight I’m hosting my third GSN Local Community Leaders
Sufficiency Gathering at my house. As I wander around my house picking up toys
and straightening things, I’m reminded of the anticipation I’ve been feeling
about so many “yes” responses. I’m amazed at the interest and excitement that
people have expressed about coming and joining in this timely conversation. I
can feel the heartbeat of my community pulsing.
“Let’s see” I say to myself while vacuuming my house, “how many people are
coming? Oh yes – it’s probably going to be around 15 people plus. Pretty good
but I wish that there were more”. My mind trails off dreaming about what the
evening is going to bring. As I make my way around my living room, with the
vacuum shouting in my ears, I don’t notice either the vacuum OR that I’m caught
in a fantasy land that is sparkling with scarcity.
The first call comes in. Someone isn’t coming. The roads are too bad and they
don’t want to be out in them. It’s the snow.
*Crash!* Crash goes my ego. Crash goes my fantasy. Crash goes my picture
perfect image of the night.
The next call comes followed by two e-mails, another message on my phone and
four more e-mails. People are changing their minds, readjusting for the weather,
backing out. I’m numb.
As I stare blankly at my filled-to-the-brim eight quart pot of Organic Vegan
Black Bean Chili, I wonder “Who am I as a leader, a hostess, a woman making a
difference in the world??? I can’t believe people wouldn’t come tonight! Darn
snow – it can’t be THAT bad outside. And who the heck is going to EAT all of
this chili?!?! I’ve made too much!” The litany of self deprecating words
continues in my mind for a few more moments. I move around trying to shake them
loose. I land in front of my window blindly staring out in to the abyss.
Then it comes…..a deep breath. A long deep breath….followed by a chuckle.
A flood of realizations come whooshing in…..I could see how I had been
completely caught in my fantasy land all day, living off the fuel of my ego and
not engaged at all in what I was doing. I had spent the day somewhere other than
in the present time. I had been ignoring nature, resisting nature and was now
blaming nature for it. Scarcity had run amuck!!
I had to chuckle…..the one thing that I didn’t expect was how much having
this Sufficiency gathering was going to be a practice IN Sufficiency. Ahhh…..the
irony of it all was too good to let go of. I had to laugh again.
With the laughter came freedom, and from the freedom came compassion both for
myself and for everyone else and their decisions. My heart opened and a sense
peace filled me. From this place, I now had the capacity to see the gift that
nature was giving us – the beautiful snow.
The evening was exquisite. Six people joined me at my house that night. They
travelled some of them for over an hour and a half to get there. We shared
wonderful food and engaged in rich conversation. As we experienced our own
transformations, bore witness to others and each, in our own ways, touched
Sufficiency, our local community deepened.
To know more about joining our GSN Local Community Leaders circle, please
send me an email. jen@doorwaysofdiscovery.com
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