TO: Sanctuary on the Trail, Inc
René White, President

It is a pleasure to inform you that the Virginia Commission for the Arts has awarded Sanctuary on the Trail, Inc a matching grant of $1950 in the Artists in Education program.

The Commission is grateful for your dedication to providing the schools and the community with arts in education activities designed to enhance the scope and sequence of a school’s basic arts instruction and to provide arts education resources for teachers and parents.
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Please accept our best wishes for your continued success.

Original letter signed by Margaret Vanderhye Executive Director

LOUDOUN MIRROR NEWS article

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At this time more than ever, we are at risk of losing the understanding of indigenous ways of life and what they stand for. The impact of funding cannot be over-stressed in its ability to help. Your contribution provides to us the support necessary to enable the educational development for both art teachers and students and provides the means of preserving a heritage valuable to all. Contributions are 100% tax deductible for this 501(c)3 Non-Profit Initiative.

​Educational Celebration of Art in Nature™ and Indigenous People and Culture  Hosted by Art in Nature™ with Sanctuary on the Trail™ and the Village Montessori School in Bluemont, Va. 

​Photos by Chris Anders and Peter Thornton | PJ Photography

Volunteer!  
Contact [email protected]  or www.HarvestGathering.org.  

These are a sampling of the questions children and their parents asked us Native American Indians and volunteers during Kidz Fest this weekend along with our answers:

Q. Do Indians wear hats?
A.  Yes, see that Indian over there, his name is Andrew Tyler and he's wearing a hat and he's also a military veteran. I am an Indian too and I like wearing hats. 

Q. Is it hard to kill a buffalo?
A.  Yes. Buffalo are very fast. Faster than dogs.

Q. What do Indians do?
A.  Indians protect the Earth.

Q.  Did Indians kill the Pilgrims?
A.  Yes Indians killed pilgrims, but a lot of pilgrims killed lot of Indians. A lot of Indians also helped the pilgrims.

Q. What tribe are you from?
A.  (We each answered with our own tribal affiliation)

Q. What tribe is this song from?
A. It is an inter-tribal song, where we all can dance together.

     Volunteer Ashley Creek Chickasaw said she told the butterfly story at least 120 times, each time passing out small butterflies she made by hand.
     Volunteers Liz Ortiz and Penny Robb Stone danced and sang songs with the children, as Andrew Tyler, who drove six hours to volunteer, played and sang with his Indian drum. Chris Anderson took photos while Sue Peoples and Rene' Locklear White helped people understand the pre-contact map and passed out prizes. Tracey Pitcock and her three children Tiffany, Shawnee & Joey along with Cindy Mann-Tenney and Sue's husband Mitch Peoples, arrived just in time to help talk with hundreds of people passing by and then tear down between rain showers.
     Special thanks to the Bluemont Fair committee volunteers Cynthia Morris and Jen Stone and their families who baked dozens of cookies for the children and volunteers. Thanks to Dianne Waddell for helping make extra butterflies. And big thank you to Dario Savarese with Full Circle Marketing who invited us to participate in their Kidz Fest event.
     And a BIG thank you to Mary F. for all your work in the background.

When the village opens this fall, the general public will be surprised to find out how many things they do not know about Native American Indian people. This initiative is also an opportunity for children and volunteers to be ambassadors for this underrepresented group and their culture.

The target audience is 45 Montessori school children of ages from 2- to 12-years old, along with seven teachers.  The children will participate in building a wigwam/yahkin, erect a tee pee, build and paint drums, learn to cook food over open fires, and much more. Later in the fall, the children will open the Indian village to the public during a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Bluemont Fair on Sept. 17-18, 2016.

Leading the construction for the dwellings is Chris White, CEO of Sanctuary on the Trail™, a class-A general contractor and self-taught engineer. Mr. White is of Cherokee descent and a wood and stone artist.
Debbie Johnson-Conti of the Sauk & Fox Nation will assist Mr. White with developing the blueprints and obtain appropriate materials for building the yahkin or wigwam. It was common for women to actually build the structures on the east coast, according to Powhatan oral histories and eye witnesses’ accounts recorded by early settlers in Virginia.   ​

“At this time more than ever, we are at risk of losing the understanding of indigenous ways of life and what they stand for,” Mrs. White said, explaining that she took to her oath in the military to protect and defend to heart. “The impact of funding cannot be over-stressed in its ability to help us.  It provides to us the support necessary to enable the educational development for both teachers and students.  It provides the means of preserving a heritage valuable to all.” 

“Native American Indian people have a rich heritage in the arts, but also in science, technology, engineering, and math or STEM,” said Michael Gress, VMS owner. “Indigenous contributions to the globe affect what we eat today, influence ecology, and inspire sustainable living. We are excited for our children to participate in this innovative program.”

VMS utilizes a unique prepared environment, indoors and out, which utilizes the sensitivity that children have to take in impressions and organize them through their senses. The approach is hands-on and child-centered.

“The Montessori-way recognizes and values the human spirit in the development of the whole child – physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively,” said Toby Gress, head of VMS.  “Our students will embrace the experience of this collaboration which mirrors and supports our current method of instruction.”

The team’s goal is to raise $27,850 for the artists, materials, and supplies needed to bring this program to Loudoun County. With Ken and Julia’s contribution of $7,500, the team still plans to raise $20,350 through community contributions and other grant opportunities.

ther sponsors, partners, and donors from the community are invited to support and participate in this cultural education program. This is a 501(c)3 non-profit initiative and all contributions are tax deductible.

More than 100 volunteers help the Whites field-test Art in Nature™ and Sanctuary on the Trail™ activities outside the classroom to ensure they are well-received by students, teachers, families, and the public alike.

Last year, commuters may remember seeing a tee pee while driving along US Highway-7 between Leesburg and Winchester at Clermont Farm on the corner of Berryville Main Street. Mr. White designed the structure with help from a Navajo/Dine artist who plans to drive from New Mexico to participate in this program.

Additionally, the team hosted “The Gathering 2015” an educational celebration of agri-culture held last fall at the Clarke County fairgrounds. Close to 5,000 people attended the Native American Indian harvest festival. Next year, “The Gathering 2017” is expected to draw 20,000+ people on Oct. 20-22, 2017.
 
This Indian village project would not be possible without the support of Jen Stone and her Bluemont family who have volunteered their private property to create the village, the Bluemont Citizens Association, and the Bluemont Fair Committee, who incorporated the grand opening of the village into the 2016 Bluemont Fair.
 
“We’re thrilled to have the Indian Village as part of our rural, historic Bluemont Fair,” said Bluemont Fair Co-Chair Cynthia Morris (with Jen Stone). “The Native American heritage of our area has been underrepresented in the past. This is an exciting opportunity to remind people of those who were here long before the events that we usually talk about when we reference local history. The Indian Village will be an exciting addition to our Fair—everyone is invited to join us in Bluemont on September 17 & 18, 2016, and experience it for themselves!”
 
To volunteer or contribute visit www.HarvestGathering.org, email [email protected], call René at 540-554-8730 or visit www.BluemontFair.org.

     Many schools teach their K-12 students that all Indians are dead. According to Indian Country Today Network, studies show a stagger 87 percent of references to American Indians in all 50 states portray them in pre-1900 context, which means students are graduating high school without even basic knowledge we Indians are still alive.
      Our goal is to raise awareness and raise $27,850 to help bring 14 artists and logistics to work with a core group of 30 students, ages 5-12 years old and seven teachers. The Primary Audience is 45 PK-6 graders ranging from 2-12 years old. The Secondary Audience is parents, artists, community and general public. ​
     Sanctuary on the Trail™ has initiated a new Art in Nature™ educational program with the Village Montessori School in Bluemont, Loudoun County Virginia called, "Artists Teaching Children to Raise a Village." Artists will serve as guides in helping point students and teachers to discovering truths about Virginia's Indians and Indigenous culture with hands-on-experience outdoors.
     Participating Students are from the Village Montessori School in Bluemont, Va. The Montessori school curriculum inspires children to reach their highest potential and develop a love of learning by focusing on the full development of the child, including their physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual growth. 
     Most of the adult artists are already pre-selected. To be added to the Artist Waiting List, please email info4TheGathering.org.
     To Volunteer email us at info4TheGathering.org or call us at 540-554-8730.
     Art in Nature™ is a 501(c)3 non-profit outreach initiative hosted by Bluemont resident and Native American Indian artist René White (Feather) president of Sanctuary on the Trail™ Inc.
     Founded in 2010, our vision and mission is “Helping Leaders First” and acknowledging Indigenous to the world to “Reduce Suffering in the World.” 

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"God, our creator,  uses our experiences, positive and negative, as thread, to weave together who we are and how we interact with each other in our world.

The love, acceptance and Native American awareness that was born of the Gathering was certainly a positive thread in the tapestry of Clarke County residences’ lives.

Witnessing people from different walks of life talking together, dancing and celebrating a unique cultural experience was validation that we can love one another in spite of our outward differences."