April 9, 2024
CHIRP and Woolman Move Closer to Property Transition
CHIRP and Woolman are pleased to join together in announcing two significant accomplishments in our progress toward the sale of Woolman’s 230+ acre Nevada County, California property to CHIRP. CHIRP’s "Homeland Return" fundraising campaign met its Phase I fundraising goal of $1.5 million in early April and is entering Phase II fundraising for a planned endowment. In addition, this week Woolman received approval from the California Attorney General to sell the Woolman property to CHIRP.
We are actively collaborating on the remaining contingencies with the shared goal of returning this beloved land to the descendants of its original native inhabitants.
California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization guided by the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe.
College Park Friends Educational Association d/b/a Woolman at Sierra Friends Center is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that operated residential high school, camp, and other educational programs on the property from the 1960s through 2023.
More about CHIRP’s Homeland Return initiative and plans for the property are available on the CHIRP Homeland return web page: https://chirpca.org/homelandreturn.
More about CHIRP, the Nisenan story, and the history of Woolman are available on the Woolman website: www.woolman.org.
April 5, 2024
Recent constraints imposed on Woolman land apply to all property owners
The College Park Friends Educational Association (CPFEA – AKA Woolman/Sierra Friends Center) board was recently approached by California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP) with a request to impose a deed restriction expressly prohibiting any casino gaming on the property. The board quickly acted on the request and this restriction is now in place. This is a permanent modification to the deed and applies to all current and future owners of the land.
Another constraint that applies to all owners of the property is a land agreement entered into with the Sierra Streams Institute (SSI) that allows SSI to implement their Forest Management Plan (FMP). The FMP was developed in conjunction with other national and state agencies with funding provided by the California Wildlife Conservation Board. This project involves habitat restoration and fire management/mitigation activities which required Woolman to agree to limiting any development of the areas that SSI is restoring/improving. This agreement is not a deed restriction nor a conservation easement per se, but it does restrict current and future owners of the property from modifying the majority of the undeveloped areas of the land for 15 years. Because the agreement would bind CHIRP when they acquire the property, we worked with CHIRP and SSI to modify the FMP slightly (primarily regarding the discovery of artifacts) in order to ensure that once the property transitions to CHIRP, they won’t be tied to restrictions or modifications imposed on the property that they find unacceptable.
January 19, 2024
FAQ. #2. Update from the Woolman Board regarding the sale of Sierra Friends Center/ Woolman.
What has been happening in the process of selling Woolman to California Heritage Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP)?
In our last communication to the Quarter on October 21, 2023, we reported that we had received a Letter of Intent to purchase the Sierra Friends Center from CHIRP, a California public benefit nonprofit corporation, guided by Nisenan tribal leaders. Although the details of these negotiations are confidential, as they would be with any pending real estate matter, we are pleased to share that we have a signed purchase agreement as of January 8, 2024, meaning that we have entered escrow or the due diligence period. This period is expected to last several months and details are still confidential as is true in any real estate transaction.
We understand that there was a long period of silence after our announcement that we had received the Letter of Intent. Both parties took their time as they explored, prepared, researched and evaluated various options. At this time, we feel optimistic about the future.
Was selling the land really necessary? What else did you consider?
I think most Friends/Quakers know that Woolman was always a faith-based endeavor. It was always on shaky financial footing. We lived on the edge trusting that somehow the funds would come in to keep the doors open and thanks to many generous idealistic people the doors stayed open for 60 years. But, over the years more and more people became skeptical or tired and our donor pool was shrinking. First the John Woolman school closed in 2001. The Woolman Semester School opened in 2003 and the first students came in 2004. The Semester School closed in 2016 due to lack of enrollment and a shortage of funds.
We took some time to discern what kind of educational programming could be developed to achieve our mission of peace, justice and sustainability. We started an outdoor education, program bringing youth from city schools to campus, we developed partnerships with local organizations that were engaged in environmental education programs, Camp Woolman was popular with both Quaker and non-Quaker youth, but our programs were never financially solvent – then COVID hit, followed by the Jones fire shutting down the campus for two years.
When we re-opened we knew it was a Startup moment, with no guarantees of success. Staff, board, and volunteers worked tirelessly.
Board and committees were continuously looking for additional ways to support Woolman financially. We looked into subdividing and selling off more parts of the Woolman property, partnering with organizations and schools that had deeper pockets, renting the campus to like-minded groups, developing a more robust retreat center, putting the development rights into a conservation easement. We considered anything that seemed reasonable – all to no avail.
How did you decide to sell to CHIRP?
Over the years, we heard again and again that people had profound experiences on the land, the land seemed to be sacred. Woolman programs were experienced as healing and transformational and part of creating that healing was the land itself. So, when it became apparent that we couldn’t keep going, the question became, “What is this moment asking of us? Is it possible to create healing from this moment of loss?”
We remembered that CHIRP had approached us in 2020 before the Jones fire about buying the land. (You may remember that in the summer of 2020 we had started having conversations about selling the land with Quakers and other potential “friendly buyers.”). As we sat with this idea and learned more about CHIRP and the Nisenan story we became convinced that CHIRP stewardship of the land we call Woolman would continue educational programming but more importantly it was a step toward the deep transformational healing that needs to be done for all of humanity. While Quakers may not have specifically harmed the Nisenan people, we are beneficiaries of a brutal history that nearly eliminated the First Peoples of this state. Seeking to ethically transition this land back to CHIRP is a small step on a long path needed for being in right relationship with each other. We believe that the land we call Woolman will continue to be sacred, healing and transformational under the stewardship of the descendants of the first people who lived and worked here.
I hope you can support us by holding the process “in the Light.” We know that change is hard and losing something you love is especially hard. The members of the Woolman Board without exception love Woolman. We have had to grieve this loss while doing the work of moving forward towards a sale. We appreciate all the kind words and thoughts that have been sent our way and we hope that those of you who disagree can begin to hear that this decision is not sudden or precipitate, it is the end of years of trying without success to keep the place going.
For more information regarding CHIRP, the Nisenan, and future plans, please go to our website at www.woolman.org.
January 8, 2024
Announcement: Woolman in contract with CHIRP
College Park Friends Educational Association (Woolman) joyously announces that it has entered into escrow with California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP) with the intention of ethically transitioning the Woolman land and property to CHIRP for the benefit of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, on whose ancestral homeland the Woolman property sits. We are excited about CHIRP’s vision for the Nisenan’s ancestral land, which includes youth programming.
As with any real estate agreement, there are contingencies to be resolved, and this may take several months. In the meantime, if you wish to contribute to Woolman’s ongoing operating costs pending the land transition, please donate here. If you wish to donate to CHIRP for this historic land transfer, please keep an eye out for a dedicated donation link coming soon on CHIRP's website. You can sign up for CHIRP's newsletter here.
Please stay tuned for more news of this land transition and hold us and CHIRP in the Light as we move forward.
Warmly,
The CPFEA Board of Trustees
October 12, 2023
An email was sent to subscribers, answering questions about Woolman’s Land Sale. Please click here to read more.
October 3, 2023
Woolman’s 60th Anniversary celebration was a success!
130 former students, campers, staff, and Board members (many accompanied by family and other loved ones) joined current staff and Board members to reconnect—socialize—share memories and photos—make apple-pear cider from Woolman orchard fruit—eat delicious meals—cuddle into modernized, yet familiar rooms—explore the beloved campus in the rain—play music—dance—and worship together. Lisa Frankel and Catherine Lenox launched The Woolman Way: A History of John Woolman School with illustrations by Sophie Wood Brinker.
On Saturday night, Sandra Schwartz, co-clerk of the College Park Friends Educational Association, began with a reminder from our last update: “In considering a sale, in addition to the commitment to meet our financial obligations, we looked to the purpose of Woolman that students, staff, Board members and donors have contributed to, and how that purpose might continue to come alive here. We are in negotiations with another public-benefit non-profit with similar values. While there are many factors to sort out, we are very hopeful. As soon as the purchaser can be made public, it will be announced.”
She continued with an update, “The Woolman Board is delighted to announce that we are working toward an agreement with the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, via its tribally-guided non-profit organization, CHIRP (California Heritage Indigenous Research Project). Our talks are productive and full of good will on both sides.”
Sitting next to Sandra as she spoke was Shelly Covert, the Executive Director of CHIRP and the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribal Spokesperson, and her mother and tribal elder, Ginger Covert.
Many people communicated delight at the announcement, while others raised concerns, asking for details about the decision and decision-making process. Emotions of all kinds were expressed.
Later, the Board collected written questions and concerns (as well as offers of support and encouragement) to which we are in the process of writing responses. These, along with additional updates about the process will be sent out soon.
Warm regards,
CPFEA Board of Trustees
