Call to Join the Westben Sustainability Team
3 Seeds: Music, Community, Nature
by Ben Finley
I often think about two unforgettable events in my life. The first was in 2000. I was 10 years old. This was the year that the Westben Barn was raised. I remember sitting on a mound of dirt with my younger sister Eve. We gleefully took turns sliding down the raised earth, hard hats bobbing on our noggins. Around us, we heard voices planning, laughing, building, dreaming. We alternated between sliding and perching in awe as a timber frame barn seemingly appeared out of nowhere; a cornfield gave way to a musical sanctuary. Sliding barn doors welcomed the music of the birds, breeze, curving County Road 30, and all kinds of music makers and enthusiasts.
Now I’m 32. When I think of Westben, three joyful things have rooted in me from this place: music, community, and nature. When thinking about connecting with nature, I find it difficult not to grapple with the present and coming effects of climate change. I think of at-risk bird species who nest precariously on the farm. I think of how reports like the IPCC (2022) and Canada's Changing Climate Report (2019) show how Canada’s temperature is warming twice as fast as the global average. Two years ago, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, with the help of local school children, opened a trail on the Mary West Nature Reserve across the road from Westben. This spurred Westben into wondering how we might not only connect people with the sounds of the grounds here but also understand our collective roles in caring for this area.
This is where you come in! We are heartily seeking volunteers with a passion for caring for the long-term health of the environment, community, and arts to be a part of Westben's Sustainability Team! All ages and backgrounds are warmly welcome. If you are interested in any level, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to email me at ben@westben.ca
Some areas for involvement may include things like: participating in monthly meetings to co-create, review and update Westben's Sustainability Action Plan; helping with the festival's waste, water, energy, food, environmental education, and accessibility experiences; connecting us with community organizations and community members working across this area. We invite you to be a part of a vibrant hub of fellow team members as we exchange resources to increase our collective understanding of holistic and intersectional sustainability.
Oh, and the other big event, by the way, was when I played my first electric bass at age 14. With that string pluck, my world went instantly still and peaceful; worries drifted away. The low tones created an immediate way to connect to my environment, find peace, communicate with others, rejuvenate. What connects you to wherever you are?