Elsie K. Powell House, located in Old Chatham, N.Y., hosted a fall work weekend during which volunteers cut up a very large dead tree into firewood despite rainy weather. On December 30, 2023–January 1, 2024, Families gathered for the house’s New Year’s Eve celebration for the first time since the beginning of 2020.
In the youth program, conferences have centered around themes of integrity, simplicity, gender exploration, creativity, and conflict resolution. Groups that have used Powell House include the Alliance of Families for Justice, New York Yearly Meeting Young Adult Friends, and the Alternatives to Violence Project.
Other highlights in programming include the annual Winter Solstice celebration; Friends decision-making and clerking; and Dwelling Deep, a yearly silent retreat. Powell House Bible Study has continued to meet online. The capital campaign has continued to raise funds for renovations that will improve energy efficiency and accessibility as well as establish an endowment.
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