About ELPAbout the EarthLoom Foundation
Inspired by your response and the need for peace
The EarthLoom Foundation was inspired by the energetic and moving response of organizers, builders, and weavers to the EarthLoom, and by Weaving a Life's desire to help make the world a more peaceful place.
The breadth of the response to EarthLooms, from Australia to Europe and across the US, has proven to us that this can be an effective means to bring diverse people together in a common goal that requires them all to put their hands to the same work.
Because the work is play, hearts are opened, differences forgotten. We have seen this wherever EarthLooms are installed, wherever community weavings are made. Susan Barrett Merrill, originator of the EarthLoom, says of its unique shape, "It is my new peace symbol, because it helps us weave the fabric of community."
Weaving Care and Appreciation
An appreciation weaving may be completed in one day or over a period of time. Weavings may include, words, poems, photographs, colored ribbon and yarns, cloth strips, emblems, paper, music, woven and sewn into the work. Each weaving is then gifted to the person or group for whom it has been woven. When the weaving is complete, the steward takes the weaving off the loom, photographs it and works with the community to gift the weaving to the person or group for which it has been woven. Each steward is requested to write or designate a writer and photographer for a chapter in The Earth Loom Project Book.
Weaving the Foundation
Weaving a Life are the stewards of the EarthLoom Foundation. They are working toward the development of the foundation as a board-directed educational and grant-making organization.
Mission
The mission of the EarthLoom Foundation is to encourage the weaving of the fabric of community, to bring neighbors, neighborhoods and communities together in activities that will help transcend differences and forge bonds between individuals and groups.
The EarthLoom Foundation proposes to forward this mission through the following activities:
- Building the EarthLoom Foundation
- Raising funds to enable the building or purchase of EarthLooms
- Raising funds to conduct workshops and training on the use of the EarthLoom, and to conduct EarthLoom building/installations and weaving events.
- Selling EarthLooms and EarthLoom DVDs
- Providing scholarships and grants to individuals and organizations who are proposing or involved in projects that, in our estimation, contribute to weaving the fabric of community.
- Publishing The EarthLoom Project Book made up of stories and photographs from your EarthLoom Project events and weavings.
The foundation is in its earliest stages, and does not have non-profit status at this time, so contributions are not tax-deductible at this time. We are of course working in this direction. If you feel you can contribute to the goals of the EarthLoom Foundation, you are warmly invited to do so.
You re invited to fill out our membership form, write to us, email us or call us.
EarthLoom Foundation
1643 Coastal Road
Brooksville, Maine 04617
Telephone: 207-326-9503
Email address
