Member for

5 years 7 months
Photo
Cover Photo
bergamot blooms in a summer field
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Haak-Frost
Biography

If you make a reservation for a retreat at GilChrist, you will most likely see my name on the email signature, talk with me on the phone, or see my face when you arrive. I’ve always delighted in being able to connect people with the natural world in ways that allow them to experience their environment deeply and meaningfully. My undergraduate degree in psychology and environmental studies paved the way for this beautiful integration of two passions of mine. The principles of permaculture – earth care, people care, and fair share – also shape my approach to my work. Making rest and retreat more accessible for all is something I try to work toward.

I also do a lot of the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative work at GilChrist: working with group retreat facilitators, handling billing, managing social media, keeping the website up to date, cataloging the library, and also pitching in with cabin cleaning and feeding the goats.

When I’m not at work, you can find me volunteering in my Three Rivers community, cooking and baking in my kitchen, taking in thought-provoking television and movies with my husband, or daydreaming about grand garden plans for my backyard.

Job Title
Caretaker for Community Engagement
Cover Caption
Bergamot blooms in this summer view from the GilChrist office
Engagement Results Display
Off
Staff Department
GilChrist Retreat Center
Department or Org
GilChrist
Email
dhaak@fetzer.org
Submitted by dhaak on Wed, 10/14/2020 - 14:08

Thanks to Jonathan Brandt, who captured this collection of sounds at GilChrist in the summer of 2016, and offers them in honor of GilChrist’s 25th anniversary on October 15.

Jonathan writes, "Thank you for being such a magnificent place of peace and rest and quiet and contemplation. Here's to another 25 years of peace! Note that these recordings were chopped up a bit to remove trains, planes, and automobiles, so the finished recordings are about two-thirds the length of the original raw recordings. The recordings are all free of charge, although folks can donate if they so desire."

We invite you to click the links below, close your eyes, and let the sound transport you to the fields, forests, and fire(place)s of GilChrist.

Dingle Afternoon
Field recording of a sunny afternoon in a grassy hollow of meadow in the rolling Michigan countryside. Includes lots of crickets and grasshoppers flapping around, amongst a host of other sounds.

Forest Cycle
Field recording in a forest, starting at 6:00 p.m. and ending at 10:00 a.m. the next morning.

Fireplace I
Field recording of fire in a stone chapel fireplace. 

Topics
Arts and Culture
Southwest Michigan
Partner
GilChrist Retreat Center
Blog Category
Reflections
Event Category
GilChrist
Slideshow
white flowers with text: Jonathan Brandt / Dingle Afternoon