Common Ground grew out of a project envisioned by Rose Bator with other community leaders in Lorain County. It began operations in October 1994, with initial and continuing support provided by the Sisters of Humility of Mary, of which Rose is a member. Common Ground’s first year of programming took place in a rustic, one-room log cabin on the property of the Oberlin Country Day Camp. Thanks to the strong interest of philanthropist Cindy Nord in supporting Common Ground’s mission and sustainability, and the support of the Community Foundation, Common Ground was able in 1997 to purchase the 21 acre Day Camp in the Vermilion River Valley, and in 1998 to renovate the cabin into an award-winning facility.
Time Line :
1994- Emerging a Vision > Start-Up Funding: Sisters of Humility of Mary > 3 year Lease of Property > "Listening Groups" to vision program > Experimental Programming > First Program: Non-meeting for Women
1995- Advisory Committee Planning > Articulating Vision > Beginning of Workplace Programs
1996- Mission Statement > Interviews with Community: Needs Assessment > Meeting Cindy Nord > First Earth Camp > Incorporation > First Board Meeting- August 6 > Grant from Community Foundation for Land Purchase > Visit from Paula Gonzalez: Sustainable Vision > Planning Charrette > Institute for Conservation Leadership Award for 3 Year Organizational Planning
1997- Strategic Planning Process > Purchase of Propery- May 31 > Dedication of Property and Naming Celebration- October 17 > Lorain Schools Outdoor Education
1998- New Building Dedication > Darlyne Bailey and Rose B. - Earthworms & Eggplants Workshop > Initial Leadership Speaker Series: Barbara Shipka, Margaret Wheatley, Naomi Tutu, Paul Winter, Malidoma Some, and Michael Mead- Cross Cultural Wisdom > Master Planning Process for Land and Buildings: Open Space Technology
1999- Lorain County Beautiful Award > South Africa Collaboration > Gardens designed and planted; non- toxic timbers > Architecture Design for New Building and Overnight Space
2000- Beginning of year- round outdoor education with schools > consulting on sustainability of nonprofit organizations project > Beginning of Experimental Education Partnerships > Master Plan Implementation > Fall Festival/ Dedicating the Garden > Feasibility Study and Plan for Capital Campaign
2001- Building of Gazebo > Beginning of Pathways Program
2002- Beginning of Pathfinders Program > Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry''s Ice Cream > Completion of Deborah Cook Art & Learning Center > New Executive Director > Donation of Lakota Sioux Tipis > Creating the Labyrith > Artist in Residence: Community Sculptures Program
2003- New Bridge/ Bridge Builder Celebration > New Administrative Offices Extension > Eco- Artist Lynne Hull from Colorado
2004- Tenth Anniversary > Evening with Artist/ Author Cindy Nord > Restorative Justice Community Forum > Artist in Residence: Collaboration of Area Artists > Pathways program expands and is renamed "First Step"
2005- Urban Youth Adventure Challenge program launched > First Step program enhanced and expaned > New Executive Director > 10th Anniversary of Earth Camp > New and expanded Body, Mind & Spirit programs
2006- New Website > Beginning of the Mural Arts Project > New Mission and Vision Statements > Pathfinders Program expanded > Adult Continuing Education programs
