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Hello Holden,
Holden Village is seeing its highest registration numbers since before the 2020 COVID pandemic. In June the Village welcomed more than 340 guests each week, including more than forty children!
Following the 2015 Wolverine fire, the COVID pandemic, and mine remediation, a full and growing Village celebrates Life Anew, a healthy Holden’s future rising from the ashes.
More than 100 Village staff, 90% volunteers, labor tirelessly to welcome all to the wilderness. And more volunteers are welcome. Jump in as a kitchen assistant, head cook, or join the Village to fill key positions like Backup Medic, Utilities, Guest Services, and Physical Plant Lead. (Read more below)
Holden Village is possible because of each guest, donor, and staff person who participates and supports the Village during this season of renewed life. Registration is open for the rest of the summer and through the fall, too.
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Stacy Kitahata, Mark Bach, and Kathie Bach
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Pomas Fire
Holden Village continues to monitor the Pomas Fire which has grown moderately since its beginning on June 13 in the upper reaches of Ice Creek and the Entiat River approximately 7 miles south of the Village.
Holden Village is separated from the fire by steep, barren cliffs. Officials say the risk of fire crossing thousands of vertical feet of rocky terrain remains "very remote," yet the Village remains vigilant.
A Level 1 Fire "Stay Alert" Advisory has been issued for Holden Village. Programming continues as normal, and air quality is excellent. You can follow weather and fire updates on our website.
Holden is in direct contact with the Fire Management Team, including regular agency cooperator meetings. A hotshot crew is in Holden Village removing numerous hazard trees and overgrown vegetation as another proactive step. Holden Village remains profoundly thankful for the tireless work of these fire personnel.
The Pomas Fire is burning dead and down timber from the 2015 Wolverine Fire, consuming fuel and mitigating future fire risk. In this way, land ravaged by the Wolverine fire is finding Life Anew and demonstrating the rejuvenating power of fire in the wilderness.
Helpful Links
AQI Information
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Members of the Holden Village Board gathered in the Village June 22-27 to connect with Village life, engage serious intercultural work, and plan for a new season of Holden Village.
Immersion in daily work of the Village was a highlight as board members measured septic waste as Sludge Judge, prepared a sandbox with Narnia Playground Palooza, receive hose house and landing zone training and more!
| | On June 26, a ceremony was held to celebrate the completion of Portal the museum building. This beautiful new addition to the Village will house the Portal Museum exhibits beginning in 2026. | | | Life Anew unleashes Holden Hilarity - celebrating welcome and inclusion of all, wacky parades, crazy costumes, music, and dancing in Main Street! Pride Month (above) and Independence Day (below) | | |
The Holden Village Podcast is Back!
To kick off this season of the Holden Village Podcast, Holden Village creative tech Ellen Callender is joined by Meisha Wangerin and June Thomassen, co-facilitators of a condensed version of the transformative Basic Alternative to Violence Project (AVP) workshop, providing practical tools for conflict resolution, personal growth, and building peaceful communities. AVP is rooted in experiential learning, offering participants a chance to explore nonviolent communication, self-awareness, and strategies for resolving tension in constructive ways.
You can find the Holden Village podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
| | Every year, Holden invites dozens of community organizers, writers, scientists, theologians, artists, musicians, and more to create community through storytelling, play, music, and scholarship. There’s still time to come enjoy the bounty! | |
Copperstock 2025
Thursday, August 7
Join Holden Village for Copperstock, our annual summer music festival! Join many talented staff and guests on the stage or relax, listen, and enjoy the mountains. Musicians are invited to bring their instruments and join in the festival!
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August 10-16
This week will feature special, bi-lingual programming in partnership with Holden’s Latine community members, including a feast of community-made tamales, a friendly soccer competition affectionately called Copa de Holden as well as a week-ending fiesta.
View the faculty offerings during the week. Groups coming to Abriendo Caminos are eligible for a special discounted group rate! Email Registration for details.
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As we often say in the Village, “No one stays here forever.” Like the waters that flow from Copper Basin and Upper Lyman Lake, on August 1, I will be wending my way down the valley, eventually finding my place at the Salish Sea.
I will be living out my commitment to further ecumenical collaboration as I have joyfully accepted a call to serve as Priest-in-Charge at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Friday Harbor, WA, beginning in September.
I have served as the Village Pastor since the end of July 2023, and in my time here I have delighted in this call for many reasons. From the hilarious and zany to the tender and heartfelt, I have relished the healing, joy, and meaningfulness of my time here.
As I reflect, I am having a hard time capturing the fullness of my experience. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are some of my favorite memories:
- Stomping out the snow labyrinths each winter, lit by luminaries. It’s a lot of work, but it’s so worth it!
- The view of my neighborhood from my porch and the feeling of belonging and community that comes with not only knowing my neighbors, but trusting that we care about each other.
- The hike to Upper Lyman Lake, one of the most sacred places I’ve ever been. I’ve been able to make the 21-mile pilgrimage three times.
- The aurora borealis from the Village has been visible many times, but on one night in deep winter, it was very clear, especially without light pollution.
- While each season brings beautiful gifts, being in community over the winter has brought me roughly 60 new extended family members each year. These are folks who could call me anytime for the rest of our lives and expect to have a place at my table or a place to stay.
- The weekly practice of Prayer Around the Cross has been a place where I have felt most clearly supported in my own faith and connected to others spiritually. I am so very grateful for this beloved Holden tradition.
These years have been a tremendous gift—to meet so many amazing people (you!), the meaningful conversations, the creativity in art, the commitment to justice and care for creation.
Thank you for all the ways you have been a blessing to me as I have served as Village Pastor.
May you be blessed wherever you are, and may we all go out with good courage!
Pastor Abby d’Ambruoso
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Spotlight: Head Cook
WE ARE HIRING multiple Head Cooks this summer! Head Cooks serve 3-4 months, 1 year, or more and receive a monthly stipend plus free food and housing.
Holden Village strives to cook in ways that are healthy, delicious, expressive, and minimize harm to individuals and communities both near and far. We source our food as locally and seasonally as possible to support better flavor, higher nutritional value, and a smaller environmental footprint.
Visit our job board and explore working in the Holden Village Kitchen!
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Spotlight: Utilities Lead
Holden Village is now hiring to fill this essential Village position. The Utilities Lead is responsible for the operation, maintenance, and repair of our water filtration plant, water distribution system, septic/sewage systems, building plumbing, hydronic heating systems, and more! Watch this video and learn from Ryan Meany, current Holden Village Utilities Lead, about his experience living and working in this vibrant wilderness community.
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Holden Village's Annual Online Jubilee Auction is October 1–5, 2025. As a lead-up to this exciting event, we're offering you the chance to win this gorgeous quilt! To enter, simply fill out the form at the link below, and watch the Holden E-News for updates. This year's auction is sure to be one for the books and we welcome all to join in this community-wide effort to support this beloved community!
If you wish to donate an item, please check the box and we will reach out. If you have any questions about the auction, contact Jack Williams at development@holdenvillage.org.
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Share your time and talents
with the extended Holden community!
Summer is in full swing at the Holden B&B and Fields Point Landing and many projects need to be completed. Are you interested in volunteering at the Holden B&B and/or Fields Point? Work groups receive free housing at the B&B and two meals a day.
You can also help by providing key items for the B&B and Fields Point. Check the wishlist at the link below for a list of tasks and needed item. Contact Roberta at downlake@holdenvillage.org to coordinate dates and availability, and with any questions.
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Reference herein to any specific commercial products or services does not necessarily constitute or imply its
endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Holden Village
PHOTOS: Beck Dengler, Carl Norquist, Stacy Kitahata, Ellen Callender, Abby d'Ambruoso, Holden Village Archvie, Becca Bay
Newsletter edited by Carl Norquist
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