From the Executive Director

I was pleasantly surprised to hear an interview on National Public Radio recently saying that several of the documentaries that are currently out in the major theatres are breaking all box office records for their genre, including “Spellbound” and “Winged Migration”. Interesting, don’t you think, that spelling bees and migrating birds would draw such crowds? Many people are longing for more simplicity. The noise, the constant interruptions from strangers on the phone, the impatience that is overcoming our culture overcome me as I write this.

It's hard not to notice the development that continues to rise up around our property. Along with this development comes noise and more buildings and more people, but somehow Murray Grove isn’t affected by all that. You don't notice all the activity once you're on-site. We have a great deal of pride that the green of "the Grove" is still an obvious opening to folks as they drive along the highway. Recently, a real estate agent called me to relay the news that Murray Grove was worth a pretty penny (as if I didn't already know) and that she had the perfect piece of property for me to see in New York. She assured me that this property was ready for us to move into immediately and we could begin holding retreats the following weekend. Mighty tempting (don't tell the Board of Trustees that I said that), but we all know: Murray Grove is Murray Grove. Something historic cannot be moved somewhere else. And so, all those millions would be nice, but that’s the end of that story.

Murray Grove is a simple place. It's a simple place where we try very hard to make you comfortable, to make sure we keep doing small things so that it will be more pleasant for you to be here, and where we hope we can help you strengthen the communities that you care so deeply about.

But if it should happen that I am writing my next column from a cheap hotel in Hollywood, it's because I've decided to make a documentary about Murray Grove and make those millions we so justly deserve! Investors are most heartily welcome!

With love from where the Pine Barrens meet Barnegat Bay,

Ellen J. Chulak

P.S. See you on September 27th at Homecoming!