Smokey House Center hosts Bainum-Goyne Family Reunion – with a twist!

On Thursday, August 19, the day dawned bright, clear, and not too hot. Twenty six members of the Bainum-Goyne family, ranging in age from 7 to over 90, and ranging in place of origin from Boston to DC to California to Washington State, arrived at Smokey House at 9 am.  The family had gathered in Manchester for their annual gathering, but this year decided that it would be fun for the entire family to spend one day of their time together volunteering at a local non-profit. One of the family members, Alex Froom, took on the task of finding an organization to put them to work. This extended family has a strong tradition of philanthropy and a particular interest in education of at-risk youth, so Smokey House was a perfect fit.

The day started with a gathering around the picnic tables where Kit, Tim and Sue introduced Smokey House staff, described projects, distributed used t-shirts, and outlined the day’s schedule.  Two brave souls volunteered to go roof-top to help Youthworkers rip shingles off the sugarhouse roof.  The family matriarch, Jane Bainum, and several others went with Ryan to the Conference Barn to start lunch preparations. Friday is CSA delivery day, so Thursday became CSA harvest and pack day.  A group of youngsters to adults donned hats and sunscreen and headed to the gardens to savor nature’s bounty. The final big morning project was prepping the exterior of the locker room to get ready for a whole-family painting party in the afternoon, so 10 folks trooped across the lawn to tackle that job. Alex needed no ladder to reach the roof fascia boards, to the endless amusement of the others.

At mid-day Ryan and his helpers served a sumptuous Mexican-themed feast from our farm: soft tacos with SHC ground beef and tomatoes, salsa from fresh tomatoes, cilantro, red onions, and hot peppers, and a huge garden salad. Dessert was chocolate zucchini cake prepared by office manager Rennie Elliott and Barbara Bainum, and decorated in professional style by Catie and Bevin, two Youthworkers. (Word has since gotten back to us that it was the best meal the family enjoyed during their entire 4-day stay!)

During the afternoon almost everyone ganged up on the locker room, most of which was hit with at least one coat of paint. A few people worked on moving wood into the newly built woodshed at the sugarhouse. A large group gathered fallen apples and took garden scraps to feed the pigs, moved the chicken tractors, and later a group headed to the upper field to see the sheep. The day ended with a circle meeting, lots of hugs and thanks, a large body of work completed, and a greatly energized staff who had thoroughly enjoyed showcasing Smokey House, our work, and the youth we serve. We want to extend a big thank you to the Bainum-Goyne family for all of their hard work, and to Alex Froom for organizing it. We’d also like to encourage others to follow their lead! Where to next year?!