The pool is open! Yes, believe it or not, we had our first polar bear plungers of the season about 2 weeks ago. Anne's grandsons, Justin and Ryan, have booth taken a dip in the icy waters of Gramercy's swimming pool.
Summer will be here before we know it... something to look forward to on this rainy Wednesday!
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Come for a visit and discover why we celebrate Earth Day every day at Gramercy.
Koinonia Farm, our organic farm specializing in culinary herbs, is in full swing. Our farm workers have arrived and are preparing for the busy season ahead. You'll find the Koinonia label on the shelves of local grocery stores including Giant, Whole Foods and Eddie's Markets. Look for our selection of organic herbs including basil, chives, cilantro, tarragon and french tarragon, thyme, margoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, spearmint and more.
Gramercy's 45 acres of woodlands and gardens in Greenspring Valley are a sanctuary for many species of birds and wildlife. Borrow a pair of binoculars for a birdwatching stroll and catch a glimpse of the cardinals, bluejays and woodpeckers.
In celebration of Earth Day, we offering a special package to B&B guests. Just give us a call anytime before the end of May to book your midweek stay and receive a complimentary subscription to Organic Gardening magazine, a tour of Koinonia Farm during your stay and a selection of herbs and recipes to take home and enjoy. Reservations can be made for any Monday - Thursday now through November.
Gramercy's Earth Day package along with other B&B packages across the country are featured in a recent
ILoveInns.com press release. For more details about our specials and packages,
visit us online.
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It's the first of May and here at Gramercy we celebrate spring and the beginning of our wedding season. We've had the pleasure of hosting many wedding ceremonies and receptions over the years and are looking forward to sharing special moments with many more couples in the coming months.
This weekend, we will be celebrating with Kelli & Greg, and Elizabeth & Jonathan. Family and friends have already arrived and checked-in to their respective B&B rooms, rehearsal dinner preparations are underway in the Carriage House, the tent has been erected and we're ready to party! Best wishes to this weekend's wedding couples.
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In February, I was privileged to tour the Maher Center and meet Sister Lucy Kurien, a Carmelite nun, the children, and the women living at Maher as part of a week long course called Essence of India at the Girl Scout National Center, Sangam. I was absolutely stunned by the stories, the happiness, and the well behaved children who sang for us. Maher was making an unbelievable difference.
Maher has a vision where, through sheer love, understanding and caring, battered, exploited and destitute women and children from India, are given hope and the right to a better life irrespective of caste, color or religion. Maher's projects include the sheltering and rehabilitation of distressed women and children, organizing self-help groups, alcohol rehabilitation, family counseling, legal assistance, preschools and kindergartens, youth groups, and non-formal programs in villages including literacy, rights, vocational training, hobbies, handicrafts, the eradiation of superstition and increasing sanitation.
Click here to view the most recent newsletter that tells of the many projects. Come and share and meet Sister Lucy, who I believe will be the next Mother Teresa of India. We look forward to seeing you soon!
You are invited...
To a book signing and reception for
Sister Lucy Kurien
Maher Center, Pune, India
at
Gramercy Mansion
1400 Greenspring Valley Rd.
Stevenson, Maryland 21153
on
May 14, 2009
7-9:30 p.m.
Wine & Cheese
RSVP 410-486-2405
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Gramercy Mansion Announces
Sister Lucy Kurien coming to America in May
Baltimore, MD - April 29, 2009 - For Immediate Release
Sister Lucy Kurien will speak on May 14, 2009 at
Gramercy Mansion, 1400 Greenspring Valley Road, Stevenson, MD 21153 at a reception and book signing from 7 PM to 9:30 PM. Guests may r.s.v.p. for the event at 410-486-2405 or info@gramercymansion.com
WOMEN HEALING WOMEN: HOW ONE REMARKABLE NUN IS OFFERING HOPE TO OPPRESSED WOMEN EVERYWHERE
Prescott, AZ, April 15, 2009 -- Some are already hailing her as the next Mother Teresa, but Sister Lucy Kurien has no time to ponder such accolades. For twelve years this remarkable nun from India has been devoting all her energies to MAHER, a unique project that has provided refuge to more than 1350 women, half of whom would likely otherwise have been murdered, committed suicide, or starved to death.
In "Women Healing Women", authors William Keepin, PhD (Divine Duality: The Power of Reconciliation Between Women and Men) and Cynthia Brix, M. Div. share the many inspiring stories of the women and children whose lives have been transformed by Maher. The authors have invited Sr. Lucy to travel across America in May upon the release of the book, which has already received high praise, notably from Sister Helen Prejean (Dead Man Walking):
"Like Sister Lucy Kurien, I witnessed a human being burned to death, which changed my mission in life forever. I watched Patrick electrocuted in the electric chair, and Lucy watched Renuka and her unborn child burn to death after being set afire by her husband. After the tragedy Lucy was driven to begin Maher, and I to abolish the death penalty. I met Lucy in Jaipur in 2008, and I was so impressed by her story. Now you get to read these incredible stories of lives transformed. But watch out. After reading these pages you may well never the same again".
According to a UN Population Fund report in 2005, more than two-thirds of married women in India aged between fifteen and forty-nine have been beaten, raped, or forced to provide sex. Maher presents an effective practical response to these appalling injustices and a model of hope for agencies and programs for oppressed women around the world. Sr. Kurien's vision has already inspired one Indian-American woman to start her own project (SOFKIN).
What makes Maher work so well? Unlike an institution, these vibrant communities of women healing women provide much more than food and shelter, they can nourish the soul with love, respect and dignity. Maher is also a unique interfaith community that honors all religions and strongly repudiates caste distinctions - making it a rare beacon for divided societies everywhere.
Sr. Lucy will set off her national tour in Princeton on May 7 alongside the authors of Women Healing Women (published by Hohm Press). The book tour also features stops in New York City, Washington D.C., Albuquerque, Boulder, San Francisco/Bay Area and Seattle. A portion of the proceeds from each book sold will be directly donated to Maher. To find out more about this tour and the Maher Project, please visit
www.women-healing-women.net.
Source: Micheline Giard - Publicist -
hohmpress@sympatico.ca For interviews with the authors and Sr. Lucy Kurien, please contact Cynthia Brix at
Cynthia@satyana.org or (303) 588-7715.
About Gramercy MansionGramercy Mansion, owned by Anne and Ronald Pomykala, has operated as a bed & breakfast and conference center since 1985. Specializing in weddings, parties, business events and retreats, the Mansion is a popular event venue. Formerly, home to Koinonia Foundation, the property was a spiritual retreat center and prior to that privately owned. Additional information may be found at
www.gramercymansion.com.
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