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Mission
 The mission of Mountain Spirit Institute is to facilitate one’s
connection to self, each other and the environment. By so doing,
participants will have a greater appreciation, and understanding
of their own resources, of other individuals around them, as
well as a better sense of their place in the natural world.
Self reliance, compassion, service, centeredness, physical fitness
and interpersonal community-building, as well as caring for,
and understanding of the natural environment, are hallmarks
of the mission.
Purpose
 Mountain Spirit Institute’s purpose is to provide a forum
for teachers, lecturers, authors and artists to teach, facilitate
or publish what they have to offer the world. These givers are
invited to come into the circle and to teach, for a day, or
a lifetime, under the financial, legal and administrative umbrella
of the organization as long as they meet the criteria, as set
by the board and administration, the bylaws, MSI’s policies,
and their offering falls within the scope of the mission statement.
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Core Values
 Programs
MSI will continue to offer consistently emotionally and physically
challenging, safe, high-quality programs that vary in their
scope and medium. The programs will always involve the tenants
of connection, compassion, centering, and awareness which in
turn enable and empower individuals to be more self reliant,
and contribute more to family, society and our world.
Body Mind and Spirit
Science is proving what the Eastern Mystics have known all along,
that we are "all connected" on a very basic level
and our thoughts literally create our reality. Healthy diet,
exercise and some form of spiritual centering and training of
the mind are all interrelated and important aspects of a healthy
life.
 Experiential
Learning
One learns much better from an educational process based on
doing and reflecting on the experience rather than a pure lecture.
Participants learn through challenges presented in a logical
and incremental way. A value forming experience can happen in
a short amount of time when facilitated and reflected upon appropriately.
 Publishing
Empowering authors, artists and musicians to produce and create
about what they're passionate , makes the world a better place.
MSI will actively support emerging works through the grant writing
process.
Learning from Indigenous Wisdom
An overlooked aspect and connection in our modern-day technological
society is the people who have lived before us. We are just
now understanding the depth and wisdom of indigenous cultures
throughout the world, and they are just now sharing what they
know because humankind’s need to evolve for its own survival.
We not only acknowledge this wisdom but actively seek connections
with those still practicing traditional ways, and who have not
forgotten the ways of their ancestors. We are a young culture
and can learn much from "our Elders."
 Environmental
Education and Sustainability
Individuals will gain an increased sense of responsibility for
the earth upon which we live, when they have a direct experience
and personal relationship with the out-of-doors. Students have
come home from a program and started a recycling center or framed
a quote in their office reminding themselves of their experience
and their relationship to the natural world. MSI programs can
have a significant impact on one’s sensitivity to the natural
world.
MSI is committed to devoting a substantial amount of its efforts as an organization to raising public awareness of environmental issues that directly affect our lives, such as global climate change, peak oil and sustainable living.
 Social
Responsibility
All programs impel participants into working and problem solving
experiences together on manageable challenges presented by the
facilitator and the nature of the program. By actually experiencing
the results of their actions, participants can transfer new
ideas and commitments to others at home, work, the community
and the environment.
Service
At the end of the day, it must be said "We are all the
same, we are human beings who all seek a life of happiness. MSI fosters a sense of community through service projects.
MSI directors, particpiants and programs all give back to the local communities through service,
whether it's giving sweaters to villagers in Peru, or mowing
the library lawn or picking up trash along the trail. Service
projects are continuously being developed for future programs.
MSI also gives back to the community in which it operates with
scholarship programs and donations to local organizations as
well as participating in community events.
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Brief History
| 1995-1998 |
Mountain Spirit Institute concept developed in Washington State and Oregon,
first MSI programs conducted. |
| 1999 |
First participants to Peru under MSI's name, first "Kearsarge
Wilderness Experience" program conducted. |
| 2000 |
(Spring) Name registered with NH as a non-profit
organization, first corporate teambuilding seminar conducted.
(Summer) Second experiential trip to Peru, participants
in climbing programs, professional development programs
conducted.
Second Kearsarge Wilderness Experience course conducted,
Board of Directors named, timeline and action plan developed. |
| 2001 |
Third trip to Peru, this time with teens to
a remote village, second professional development seminar
delivered. |
| 2003 |
(Summer/Fall) Founding B.O.D. formed, Articles
adopted, NH Non-Profit Status approved. |
| 2005 |
(Winter) 501(c)-3 Non-Profit Status obtained,
Bylaws, Safety Policies & Risk Mgmt. completed, first
Speaker Program (Dr. H. Cutler) presented, Peru, Solo and
KWE programs continued. |
| 2006-08 |
Sunapee Holistic Health & Sustainabilty Festival, Art of Living with Theo Paredes, Solo Programs, Lakota Studies on the Rosebud. |
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Mountain Spirit Institute’s Board
of Directors
Elizabeth Sofish, Ph.D. President,
Acting Treasurer
 Grantham, NH
Betsy is an experienced leader and educator with a personal commitment to service and positive social change. She has served as an executive director in in the non-profit sector. Betsy earned her PhD and MS from Ohio State Univeristy in Rural Sociology with a specialty in Community Development and Leisure/Recreation. Here undergraduate studies were in Wildlife Management. She is passionate about leading MSI to the next level.
 Robert Stremba, Ph.D., Vice President
Coordinator, Adventure
Education Department, Fort Lewis College, Durango CO
Bob created the Adventure Ed program at Plymouth State University, and has recently accepted the coordinator position at Fort Lewis College where he will build a similar program. He has extensive background in managing wilderness educational programs, one being with REI Adventures of Seattle. He often incorporates "spiritual reconnection and a sense of place" in his teachings. He also currently teaches a courses for Outward Bound Widerness during the summer in Colorado and Washington State.
 Dexter R. Richards, Secretary
MSI Founder and
Executive Director
Sunapee, NH/Park City, Utah
Randy, a graduate of University of Utah in Recreation Management has been a senior international mountain guide for Alpine Ascents International, staff trainer and instructorfor Outward Bound, and guided in the Alps, Aconcogua, Argentina; Huascaran, Peru, Ecuador's Volcanoes and throughout the western Pacific Crest range on programs lasting from three weeks to three months. He is a performer of world and folk music and a music therapist for Alzheimers patients.
Craig Cimmons
Woodstock, VT
 Craig has a solid wilderness leadership and program management background mainly from Green Mountain College in Vermont where he ran the outdoor program. Craig has a passion for connecting people with nature and draws upon his breadth of natural history knowledge as well has his spiritual connection. His position on the board brings needed focus to our Northern New England outdoor programs.
Craig is currently putting the finishing touches on his masters at Antioch New England.
 Brenda Dowst
Sunapee, NH & Nova Scotia, Canada
Brenda the program director of Sustainable Communities Program for Mountain Spirit Institute, is a certified trainer and coach for Collaborative Action Technology, Inc.. She is an organizational and community development specialist, a dialogue consultant and is a certified public manager.
For more than twenty years, Brenda has shared a unique set of communication and analytical tools with scores of executives, their boards and key managers in private and public administration, education, industry and government as well as grassroots leaders in small and large communities. These tools achieve mutually desirable outcomes through collaborative dialogue. We proud to have Brenda as the newest member of our board.
Program Coordination
Randy Richards - MSI Program Director, SunFest Co-Chair
Craig Cimmons - New England
Brenda Dowst - Sustainable Communities Program
Chris Mulcahy- Co-coordinator: Wilderness Experience Programs, and New England Programs
Guillermo Seminario - Cusco Folklore Music Exchange
Bob Stremba- Wilderness Skills Programs, Western US, Academic Liason
Chelsie Lewis - Grantwriter
College Credit
Transferable college credit is available for a certain MSI
programs. Offered through certain university’s Adventure
Education Departments, credits are awarded to you for transfer
to your college or university . Our programs range in scope
and focus. The more academically, culturally, leadership or
communication focused programs (which are the majority of our
programs) will offer college credit. A syllabus is available
for such courses. To receive information on optional college
credit please contact the MSI office.
Mountain Spirit is a member of the following associations:
- New Hampshire Center for Non-Profits
- Utah Non-Profits Association
- Guidestar
- Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce
- Sustainable Travel International
- South American Explorers Club
The following organizations of which some of our staff/board are members:
- American Mountain Guides Association
- Professional Ski Instructors Association
- Association for Experiential Education
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