Speaker: Michael Bastine
Program: Based on his many years of working with Native elders, Michael will talk about how he and others prepare themselves to collect medicinal plants in the wild. He will also show how you might use these plants in your garden.

The Green Sanctuary Committee meets at the church the first Thursday of the month. All are welcome to attend!

Speaker: Lyn Chimera

Program: Sustainability means preserving what we have for future generations. This can easily be achieved on our own property. Learn how you can help the environment, save time and money as well as improve your gardening through a sustainable approach.

Speaker: John  Snodgrass

Program: Indigenous spiritualities are strongly rooted in specific locations.  Rather than battle over a single place called “The Holy Land” indigenous cultures each consider their own habitat to be the sacred center.  And while some religions seek answers to life’s questions in printed scriptures, the tribal search for meaning involves learning to ”read” the land and skies.  How can we deepen our spiritual connections to the specific land and climate of Western New York?

Speaker: Kathleen Contrino

Program: Native plants, trees and bushes are critical to ecological resiliency and biodiversity and are important food sources for pollinators. They also have great medicinal value as used by indigenous populations for centuries. Kathy will discuss medicinal natives and their many uses while also touching upon some important herbs that can be grown in container gardens or sunny borders.

Speaker: Ken Parker
Program: Between 2012 and 2017, Ken developed and directed the Food Is Our Medicine project designed to improve the health and well-being of the Seneca Nation community. He will share how the related programs supported both physical health and community engagement by reestablishing the use of culturally significant native plants and reintroducing a food system closely tied to Seneca cultural traditions.

Speaker: Lyn Chimera

Program: Learn about native plants that grow in our area and how they help sustain the environment. Lyn will discuss specific natives that do particularly well in WNY and where to get them.

The Green Sanctuary Committee meets at the church the first Thursday of the month. All are welcome to attend!

Speaker: Bob Colligan

Program: Butterfly gardens and pollinator beds are beautiful and something instantly desired by someone seeing a really good one for the first time.  Bob will discuss his ideas for how to successfully create such beds with minimal effort and as quickly as possible.

Speaker: Jake Clark

Program: Jake will share his learning and knowledge related to European land acquisition on Turtle Island. From first contact with the Dutch to how local residents in East Aurora hold Deeds most likely starting with a Dutchman named Wilhelm Willink or one of his partners. Jake will share an overview of Wampum, Treaties, and Sovereignty.