Mindful Living - January Newsletter

Tragedy Strikes Haiti

On Tuesday, a major earthquake in Haiti has left the capital city of Port-au-Prince in ruins.

The damage is catastrophic; more than 2 million people have been affected, but the human toll is still unknown. Haiti's president has said the impact on the country is "unimaginable" and estimates that thousands have died.

Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti. Tragedies like this reaffirm our mission to be able to provide round buildings to some of the poorest countries in the world. Mindful Living wood structures are engineered to withstand natures most destructive forces unlike these traditional concrete structures.

Oxfam (an organization that Mindful Living supports) has over 200 aid workers already on the ground in Haiti, coordinating relief efforts. Donations are needed immediately. Please be as generous as you are able. Donate Now

Did You Know?

January is National Radon Action Month. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Purchase a test kit at your local store or from EPA. Here are things you can do during National Radon Action Month:

Test your home - EPA and the US Surgeon General recommend that all homes in the US be tested for radon. Testing is easy and inexpensive.
Attend a National Radon Action Month Event in your area. Contact your state radon program for more information.
Spread the word. Tell your family and friends.

Spotlight on Carol LeBarron's Home

Carol LeBarron is a 53 year old elementary art and music teacher, teaching grades K-8. She has a daughter, son, daughter-in-law and her very first grandson. "I love the outdoors, hiking, kayaking, downhill skiing and snowshoeing. Attending the theatre or a movie is always on the calendar."

What drove Carol to purchase a Mindful Living home? Originally, her sister Donna, living in Seattle 20 years ago went to see our office and loved the people, product and the setup. Carol says, "Donna has been my consistent co-builder. I would not be where I am without Donna's unselfish, never ending time, help and knowledge. Thank you Donna!"

Carol was looking for a home to build/buy and wanted an open space so that it would feel big. A round home fit the bill. She looked at Deltec and Mindful Living's products and decided that the skylight and finished ceilings of our product were the determining factor. Being a kit was something that worked for her and her sister as well. Carol decided on a 31' Diameter round home with a full walk-out basement.

Carol often has people stopping in that she barely knows to see her round home, fascinated with the round shape, then entering in awe of the ceiling and the feel of the space. Many of her friends stopped by to help, desiring to be a part of such a cool structure and event. Carol says, "My house became a home from the laying of the first floor pizza pie slice, as Kim named each one as we put it in place! Several carpenters were very impressed with the quality and the ease of the structure going together."

What's next for Carol? "The interior still has a ton of finish work to do. I'm sitting here amongst boxes of kitchen cabinets, a tub, a make-do kitchen. I'll give building a walkway with stones a try and maybe a wall along the walkway. I'm putting American Clay on most of the walls in the house - a wonderful medium with texture and beautiful colors, moisture absorbing and negates ions in the air. Very cool product. Since my sister, Donna and I are the finish carpenters, things have slowed down since I had to go back to teaching."

Carol has a blog she would like to share with you. Please feel to visit Carol's Blog here.