our first goal is to become a legal entity. Hopefully by the end of the month we will have enough to start the Nonprofit route. With all our increased traffic, if we can keep articles coming in.

Jeff i would really like to know more about your project. Do you want to write something short about it.

Mornin'
Cat woke me up at three and couldn't get back to sleep, so here I am. A representative from HP sent me this website, www.fdncenter.org give it a look.
You wanted to know more about VEESSA? I'll start at the beginning.
Approximately ten years ago, I tryed basically what The Shire is doing right now, more or less. Wasn't able to arouse enough interest to get it off the ground. Two years ago saw the birth of VEESSA, from humble beginnings we shaped and molded and are in fact still shaping and molding. VEESSA shares a bed with Oberkleinberg and RealitySchool which severely limits research and development time as both Kree and I are operating out of pocket and trying to raise families simultaneously.
Due largely to financial interests Oberlkeinberg has received the lions share and VEESSA has taken a back seat. Because the monies needed to complete Oberkleinberg, about sixty million, give or take, is our primary concern. VEESSAs' focus is "net zero" and sustainable living practices. It is our intention to sell the "village" worldwide, if and when I see light at the end of the tunnel.
Having too many irons in the fire has at times been debilitating, so a word of advice is in order. Keep It Simple and it will flow a lot smoother for you. I'm out. Jeff

I 'spose I should give you cats some background information, to alleviate any fears that I may be phishing or some kind of sociopathe.
I was an Electron Microscopist at the U. of WI. Stevens Point for two years, couldn't hack being cooped up in the lab. I started a construction company as this is what I did while matriculating at the U. My focus was green building and recycling and fabricating furniture pieces out of barn wood, "Barniture". I blew my back out in '01 and decided after a couple of failed attempts at returning to the ranks to trod the road of higher learning once again. To make ends meet I create pieces of "art" out of native woods like lilac, grape vines and black locust to name a couple.
I started out with solar, wind and hydro generation. I restored an mill in Iola, WI. Took out the old turbine, Sampson Lefell 25 horse, restored it. Tore out the old wood pen stock and flume and put in new ones. Repaired the dam gates and now the owner is selling back to power company and running a home made ice cream shop off the grid. I have installed three wind turbines and two panel arrays.
I don't by any means profess to know everything, in fact in the grand scope of things I know very little, albeit, I strive to learn and keep up as much as possible. There is so much new technology, innovations and upgrades it is hard to keep up with everything on a day to day basis. In fact once we learn to harness quantum physics and breech the energy losses inherently contained within, the doors of sustainable efficient energy generation will be blown wide open. Until then, one can only hope. El Jeffe

Your input here has been most welcome Jeff!

As for the project, we've been lucky so far to have a number of skilled people taking interest and really supporting the idea. I myself, am a web-developer, which has removed a bit of the complexity and $ investment. Sandor's Aunt, Asia Freeman, has extensive experience with Non-Profits and has offered to help get The S.H.I.R.E. established as an NPO. Sandor himself graduated Hampshire College with a degree in Sustainable Agriculture.

We have lots of artists, and writers in the works right now as part of our latest campaign to get public interest.

--And this is just the beggining.

Sandor has been devoting quite a bit of himself into creating a detailed vision of what and how we will accomplish our goals. This clear picture of what needs to be done, and how we will need to execute each phase of the project will keep us from diverting too much energy into different parallel pathways.

Sounds like you have a grasp on the foundation. I wish the project the best, and sincerely hope you make it.
When I'm in Montana next, I'll see if I can't sideline matters at hand and make a diversionary trip to Washington to see how things are going. If you need help with anything, contact me. I'll check in occasionally to see how things are going. May enlightenment shine on your endeavor. J.

First off, Jeff thank you for your input and interest. I have yet to put alot of myself into this site, but am looking forward to developing a relationship with all who have interest in our project and parallel goals in creating beautiful life. Your projects at VEESSa and Oberkleinberg are fascinating and I am looking forward to collaborating with you in the future.

Next, thread topic of NP etc, I talked with my bro who has been running a 501c for four years now about the pros and cons of NP status. The land buying and research/education grants are definately NP territory. What we have to worry about:
producing items for sale, making sure the money goes entirely back into the NP or else we have to pay property tax on anything associated with the production. This includes any workshops held on the land. FYI, workshop fees would not be tax deductible because people are recieving a service of value for their contribution.

Last, forming a working coop underneath the NP would be alot of paperwork, and would get legally tricky if people were buying into/out of the land. I think it is a great idea to have some sort of separate entity to manage day-to-day issues on the land and guide the process of individual projects. However to retain NP status every project on the land would have to be encompassed within the charter. I think it may make sense to have a committee within the NP structure that is made up of the people actually on the land itself, while the overall land is still managed by the NP.

Until later, lead on towards the good life.