Winter Volunteering in New Hampshire

             I am now coming to the end of six months of voluntary work at a life-sharing project in New Hampshire, living day to day through the winter months at the Maple Hill Community in Temple.

            Maple Hill is to be found set in lovely woodlands with a house and barn located towards the bottom of the 22 acres of land.  If you like the great outdoors then this is the place for you.

            So what is it really like working in the backwoods of America ? Hard work, I can tell you, and I am enjoying every minute even if I am now a shadow of myself with all the physical activity (I wish!  I just eat more!).  No one knows what to expect each morning the sun comes up, particularly as plans change with the extreme winter weather conditions.  It is apparently easier in the summer even though there is then the extra work of a riding programme for the disabled..

            So, what is the project like?

            It is a small shared living project which functions as an extended family. There are no clients or staff and whether the diagnosis is mental illness, brain injury or development delay, every member of the community contributes what they can do or can be, and are appreciated and respected for their individuality.  Much of the philosophy is of Rudolf Steiner who provided the impulse for a worldwide network of social and therapeutic communities. Camphill Communities and the Waldorf schools are an example of this.  At this small project they try to balance the interdependence fostered by community life with each persons individual needs and wishes.

            The success of the project is due to the way work, learning, recreation and symptom management  all interact. Each activity serves as an opportunity for the residents to learn, to grow and to heal be it daily chores, a visit to the Boston Symphony, a trip to the coast or taking part in the special Olympics, and you will be part of the process.

            The days start very early at about 5.30 and breakfast is an hour later when all are up and about, some with help. From then on it is a stop, start , stop, start  day. Besides the daily chores and the care of the animals, the normal feeding, washing and cleaning activities,  there is a schedule of activities that is re-assessed continually to ensure everybody is occupied with one activity or another, most of the time. Usually things are in small bites as concentration and ability preclude longer periods of time.

            All this has to be re-shuffled to fit in major events like the Olympics and Maple Sugaring (results in very long arms and an ability to scratch the inside of ones ankles without bending. You need 50-60 gallons to produce one gallon of syrup which is a lot of carrying from the woods.)  The Summer Riding Programme, Apple picking and Cider pressing come later in the year.

            Being here in the winter has meant that I have been involved in the Winter Olympics, which has been an enlightening experience. Despite being exhausted from the physicality of the three days I spent most of my time laughing ‘till I cried or with a permanent lump in my throat with the wonderful sense of achievement that we all had.

            Anyone coming here should have no illusions about the hard work that the day to day entails, and they should also think very carefully about having to live in very close proximity with people who do not fit the average thinking patterns who have little communication skills as is normally recognised, and any volunteer would need to commit for at least 6 months or a year.  Living a communal lifestyle can result in  little privacy and shared everything but also gives a feeling of belonging and a front row seat in seeing people achieve.  Many of your social and cultural activities and visits are as part of the wider family group. You need an ability to think on your feet at the same time as being aware of the needs of everyone in the household to assess impact before making any decisions. That is a bit like juggling soot!!  

            Other than cars, there is no form of transport and I mean None.  No public transport of any kind so if you want to be mobile you have to pick up a cheap car or come prepared to live a slightly isolated lifestyle. The area has a strong religious following and there are churches of any denomination you would wish to sampleand this can be your source of meeting others outside the project as many  of the other volunteers working locally are the usual students taking time out. But people are friendly and welcoming whenever you meet them.

Although fairly consistent the make up of of the residents change occaisionally and others come to the place on a weekly basis to a study group, to help with the barn work and for the therapeutic riding. Former residents join us for the Olympics  plus we meet up with other life-sharing projects at swimming, workshops,

men’s groups, study groups and other special celebrations, and then as always in life there are the daily characters that we meet along the way.

            To anyone of a like mind I would recommend them taking up an experience like this, it can be hard work, it can be isolating but it is also a very special time for it enriches and confirms who you are. 

Sheina Bell
4th June 2000.