Dear Friends,
The vibrant foliage has mostly fallen, and the weather is finally chilly. This fall we are continuously grateful for the ongoing community of Appalachia-Science in the Public Interest (ASPI) patrons, partners, and participants who have supported us for over 47 years! ASPI continues serving the local community and Appalachian region without paid leadership staff, but a valuable team of volunteers and contract labor helps sustain our work. ASPI still provides access to housing, networking opportunities, educational programming, and partnership collaborations and contributions.
This year, we are saddened by the loss of three important founding ASPI icons who are also acknowledged in the 2025 calendar: founder Father Albert J. Fritsch (https://bit.ly/Fr-Al-Fritsch-Obit), former board member Marie Cirillo (https://bit.ly/Marie-Cirillo-Obit), and homesteader and ginseng grower Syl Yunker who collaborated with ASPI early on (https://bit.ly/Syl-Yunker-Obit). They are greatly missed, and all left a lasting impact not only ASPI but many communities and practitioners in the Appalachian region.
The vibrant foliage has mostly fallen, and the weather is finally chilly. This fall we are continuously grateful for the ongoing community of Appalachia-Science in the Public Interest (ASPI) patrons, partners, and participants who have supported us for over 47 years! ASPI continues serving the local community and Appalachian region without paid leadership staff, but a valuable team of volunteers and contract labor helps sustain our work. ASPI still provides access to housing, networking opportunities, educational programming, and partnership collaborations and contributions.
This year, we are saddened by the loss of three important founding ASPI icons who are also acknowledged in the 2025 calendar: founder Father Albert J. Fritsch (https://bit.ly/Fr-Al-Fritsch-Obit), former board member Marie Cirillo (https://bit.ly/Marie-Cirillo-Obit), and homesteader and ginseng grower Syl Yunker who collaborated with ASPI early on (https://bit.ly/Syl-Yunker-Obit). They are greatly missed, and all left a lasting impact not only ASPI but many communities and practitioners in the Appalachian region.
The ASPI board works on daily operations and communications along with part-time staff support and volunteers, and our strategic plan continues guiding our work. Board President Timi Reedy and Secretary Tammy Clemons maintain remote contact with board member and former residential volunteer Father Jack Kieffer. Board member Judy Sizemore stepped down this year so she could resume supporting ASPI through valuable consultancies through Mountain Association (MA) as well as the SPARK Program for Small nonprofit Peers Accelerating Rural (Eastern) Kentucky. We are still working to make our certified kitchen the main ASPI Office in Mt. Vernon, which has preliminary approval, accessible to local farmers. Our grounds/garden helper River Jarvis maintains the ASPI orchard, beds, and greenhouse, which produce a variety of fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs that we share with the local community. They also work on ongoing upkeep of the Cordwood building, Nature Center, and garden beds at the ASPI Rockcastle River Wilderness Demonstration Site as one of our new residential volunteers.
This year, ASPI began serving as fiscal sponsor for fellow SPARK member Our Land of Promise (OPL), which is “dedicated to honoring and preserving African American heritage in Berea, Kentucky.” ASPI received a 2024 Radical Rest Grant as a voting organizational member of the Waymakers Collective: Appalachian Arts and Culture Assembly, and we nominated and directed part of this grant to OPL. ASPI also received a Folk Arts & Cultures Grant from the Berea College Appalachian Fund on behalf of OPL “to display and honor Black heritage in Berea through a series of events highlighting the historic and contemporary Farristown community and traditions.”
This year, ASPI began serving as fiscal sponsor for fellow SPARK member Our Land of Promise (OPL), which is “dedicated to honoring and preserving African American heritage in Berea, Kentucky.” ASPI received a 2024 Radical Rest Grant as a voting organizational member of the Waymakers Collective: Appalachian Arts and Culture Assembly, and we nominated and directed part of this grant to OPL. ASPI also received a Folk Arts & Cultures Grant from the Berea College Appalachian Fund on behalf of OPL “to display and honor Black heritage in Berea through a series of events highlighting the historic and contemporary Farristown community and traditions.”
is summer, local mycologists Ron Owens and Jonny Wells led a series of mushroom demonstrations and workshops at the Clear Creek Schoolhouse, Rockcastle Garden Club, Garrard County Medicinal Herb Club, Berea College Forest Outreach Center, and Rockcastle Farmer’s Market. More than 200 workshop participants walked away with a free mushroom log and handouts. Josh Bills also led solar cooker demonstrations at the Farmer’s Market and ASPI office. Local off-grid homesteaders, the Ruff family, also led hands-on workshops on biochar methods and growing your own grains. ASPI collaborated again with the University of Kentucky Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History to help coordinate a regional oral history meet-up at the national Oral History Association Annual Meeting in Cincinnati. Timi Reedy and Mark Spencer completed their set of five oral history interviews with Appalachian iconoclast George Brosi.
In October, we hosted nine University of Notre Dame service-learning students from diverse backgrounds for a week-long alternative fall break immersion experience, and one of the two student leaders returned from the past two years. The group got water from Climax spring; worked in the gardens and learned about solar energy at the ASPI Office; cleaned out the old Solar House shed at the Rockcastle River property where they also went on a meditative nature hike and had a cookout; and cleaned up two dump sites with Rockcastle Solid Waste. They also toured the Rockcastle County High School with the Principal and visited an Appalachian Studies class; hiked the Pinnacles; and enjoyed live music by Mitch Barrett. They finished the week with projects at four local Rockcastle County farms, which is one of their favorite annual activities. As ever, we are tremendously grateful for these Notre Dame students and their interest in the Appalachian region, as well as the positive energy and work ethic throughout the week!
In October, we hosted nine University of Notre Dame service-learning students from diverse backgrounds for a week-long alternative fall break immersion experience, and one of the two student leaders returned from the past two years. The group got water from Climax spring; worked in the gardens and learned about solar energy at the ASPI Office; cleaned out the old Solar House shed at the Rockcastle River property where they also went on a meditative nature hike and had a cookout; and cleaned up two dump sites with Rockcastle Solid Waste. They also toured the Rockcastle County High School with the Principal and visited an Appalachian Studies class; hiked the Pinnacles; and enjoyed live music by Mitch Barrett. They finished the week with projects at four local Rockcastle County farms, which is one of their favorite annual activities. As ever, we are tremendously grateful for these Notre Dame students and their interest in the Appalachian region, as well as the positive energy and work ethic throughout the week!
The 2025 Simple Lifestyle Calendar is posted on our website and available through PayPal or mail order by sending the downloadable order form. Calendar designer Mark Spencer curated another great collection of daily sayings and beautiful monthly photos from regional photographers with cover photo by John Fitzwater. Mark shares his annual aspirations for the New Year in the enclosed calendar brochure. We are grateful for Mark’s ongoing creative contributions on behalf of ASPI, and we echo his wishes for fostering both growth and simplicity in 2025 to all our supporters and calendar enthusiasts.
Thanks to all these individuals and organizations for supporting our work, with special thanks to: Father Al Fritsch, Father Jack Kieffer, Judy Sizemore, Mark Spencer, Emily Parrish, Aaron and Jamie Banther, Jerry Bogie, Josh Bills, Danielle Capillo, River Jarvis, Loki Searles, Ron Owens and family, Jonny Wells, Erin Grace, Josh Merritt, Melanie Abbott, Jamie Ponder, Janet Kalitz, Warren Brunner, Bob Bagley, Lindsey Windland, John Fitzwater, Mitch Barrett, Holly Robinson, Brenda and Donnie Parsons, Ruff Family, Shannon Barrett, Alan Harding, Andrew Ozinskas, Phillip Gilbert, Leela Christina, James Renner, Mahala King, Amy Weinfurtner, Ketaki Bhattacharyya, Kopana Terry, Jen Bartlett, and Nancy Seaberg.
With your support, ASPI will continue maintaining and improving the Mt. Vernon and Livingston demonstration sites; implementing accessibility improvements; public access to a certified kitchen and EV charging stations; arts/culture programming; and ongoing community partnerships. We share our boundless gratitude for the generosity, enthusiasm, and engagement of our volunteers, partners, project contractors, donors, and calendar lovers. Thanks for your contributions to ASPI’s 47-year-old mission working for healthy land and sustainable communities in Kentucky and Central Appalachia. We wish hope, safety, and thriving fulfillment for our shared futures in 2025!
Sincerely,
Timi Reedy (ASPI Board President) and Tammy Clemons (Board Secretary)
Thanks to all these individuals and organizations for supporting our work, with special thanks to: Father Al Fritsch, Father Jack Kieffer, Judy Sizemore, Mark Spencer, Emily Parrish, Aaron and Jamie Banther, Jerry Bogie, Josh Bills, Danielle Capillo, River Jarvis, Loki Searles, Ron Owens and family, Jonny Wells, Erin Grace, Josh Merritt, Melanie Abbott, Jamie Ponder, Janet Kalitz, Warren Brunner, Bob Bagley, Lindsey Windland, John Fitzwater, Mitch Barrett, Holly Robinson, Brenda and Donnie Parsons, Ruff Family, Shannon Barrett, Alan Harding, Andrew Ozinskas, Phillip Gilbert, Leela Christina, James Renner, Mahala King, Amy Weinfurtner, Ketaki Bhattacharyya, Kopana Terry, Jen Bartlett, and Nancy Seaberg.
With your support, ASPI will continue maintaining and improving the Mt. Vernon and Livingston demonstration sites; implementing accessibility improvements; public access to a certified kitchen and EV charging stations; arts/culture programming; and ongoing community partnerships. We share our boundless gratitude for the generosity, enthusiasm, and engagement of our volunteers, partners, project contractors, donors, and calendar lovers. Thanks for your contributions to ASPI’s 47-year-old mission working for healthy land and sustainable communities in Kentucky and Central Appalachia. We wish hope, safety, and thriving fulfillment for our shared futures in 2025!
Sincerely,
Timi Reedy (ASPI Board President) and Tammy Clemons (Board Secretary)
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