Meet the Community
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Lynnette Gerhard
Lynnette practiced as a certified nurse-midwife in the Skagit Valley for over 20 years. She enjoyed the challenge of helping women grow in confidence and strength through the experience of pregnancy and birth, preparing for the years of parenting ahead. Now retired, Lynnette sings in the church choir, plays handbells, makes quilts, grows vegetables and flowers, and is learning to play her small harp. She enjoys going to the theater and concerts, reading, knitting, and visiting with family and friends. “I look forward to living in a community of close friends and working together to live a life style that uses less ‘stuff’ through shared resources and a smaller home”
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Dan Gerhard
Dan grew up in the Seattle area and became a United Methodist pastor (now retired). He remains active in his local church in the ministry areas of adult education, missions, and social justice. He enjoys the outdoors – hiking, bicycling, gardening, and mowing the lawn. Other interests include stained glass work, wood working, lively discussions, and quiet reading. "I look forward to living in a community where persons are known, respected, and nurtured by the persons living around them. I like to share my talents and interests, and to receive similar gifts from a diverse group of interesting people. I seek ways to nurture and care for the natural environment in which we live."
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Charles and Shelly Parks
Charles and Shelly met 30 years ago in Wilmington, Delaware, moved to the Northwest shortly thereafter, raised three children and recently began thinking how they could continue a life together that would focus on living in a healthy and vibrant community. When they connected with Skagit Cohousing, they knew they had found the community they had envisioned.
Shelly has been passionate about cohousing for many years and in 2017 left her “day job” to share her marketing experience and skills with forming cohousing groups. She now partners and consults with cohousing groups to help them in membership recruitment and is also supporting groups as a Community Coordinator. For fun, Charles likes to hike and be outdoors. Shelly is a cyclist and life-long knitter who always has a number of projects going. Both are very active in their church and over the years have come to greatly appreciate the value of strong friendships. . "What most excites us about living in cohousing is the opportunity to live in a neighborhood where friendships can more easily grow and strengthen." |
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Frank Lacey
Earlier in my life, I lived in a similar shared community. As I look forward to downsizing from my large rural property for the next phase of my life, I would like to again experience the benefits of community. I look forward to being part of a diverse group that has mutual goals. Sharing common resources and living light on the land are important to me and to the earth’s future. Cohousing is the way I would like to live my life with others in an environment of mutual respect and values. As for my interests, I am passionate about the North Cascades. I love natural history, children, gardening, and I volunteer as a trailbuilder. |
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Jeroldine (Jerry) Hallberg
I met and fell in love with Frank during a volunteer trail service trip to Holden Village near Lake Chelan almost 20 years ago. As I approach the “downsizing” part of life, I noticed that our options included places limited to seniors or ordinary condos with no guarantee of being a community with some shared values. It was at that time I saw a notice for Skagit Cohousing. Since I aspire to live in a multi-generational, diverse community, cohousing is a great option. I retired from a career in urban planning, and I enjoy working on the planning and design aspects of Skagit Cohousing. |
Karen Gimnig
Karen arrived in the Skagit Valley about the time she learned to talk. Since then life has taken her across the country and to two different continents, but the beauty of Skagit has always called her home. She’s excited to return full time to beaches, forests and mountain views.
She discovered cohousing while living in Atlanta. East Lake Commons has taught her much about the joys, challenges and growth opportunities of living in in community. While there, she watched her young homeschooled children turn into (mostly) independent teens. This gave the time to follow her passion for connections between people to training as professional facilitator through Imago Relationships International. She trains groups and organizations, especially cohousing communities, in tools that support a rich life together.
Karen arrived in the Skagit Valley about the time she learned to talk. Since then life has taken her across the country and to two different continents, but the beauty of Skagit has always called her home. She’s excited to return full time to beaches, forests and mountain views.
She discovered cohousing while living in Atlanta. East Lake Commons has taught her much about the joys, challenges and growth opportunities of living in in community. While there, she watched her young homeschooled children turn into (mostly) independent teens. This gave the time to follow her passion for connections between people to training as professional facilitator through Imago Relationships International. She trains groups and organizations, especially cohousing communities, in tools that support a rich life together.
Christy Carrico
Christy is an organic coffee farmer living who lives on the big island of Hawaii. Along with growing award winning Kona Coffee, she and her husband Eric grow avocados, bananas and other food crops. They are occasionally supervised by their cat, Lucky.
Christy has also taught meditation for the past 40 years. She is a co-leader of meditation and dolphin healing retreats on the Big Island each fall. She is currently teaching classes on meditation and vital aging, nutrition and wellness.
Along with her love of the land, being near, in or on the water is in her blood and is a necessary part of her life. She loves snorkeling and is proud to say she has been bitten by a humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa fish (the Hawaii State fish) not just once, but twice.
Christy lived for over 30 years San Francisco Bay Area before her move to Hawaii. From San Francisco to Berkeley in the 70’s, to the Calistoga wine country and down to the Silicone Valley, it was an exciting place to live.
Around 6 years ago, she and her husband Eric started having discussions about aging in place and where and how that would be. They had a lot of ideas and questions, but few answers. Then in 2014 they moved to Panama with the idea that it would be a great place to retire. They lived there for 2 years, but eventually decided that though they loved the country and the people, they were missing the US.
Back on their farm, they continued their aging in place discussion and one day found out about cohousing. Almost from the first Christy knew this idea fit so many of the things she valued and it also successfully answered many questions about how she and Eric wanted to age in place. In Sept. of this year, they traveled to Fidalgo Island in Washington state to meet the Skagit Cohousing group and attend a workshop with Katie McCamant, a leader in the US Cohousing movement. By the end of the workshop, they were in.
“I’m beyond excited to be working with a great group of people who share many of the values that are dear to me: community, cooperation, sharing resources, respecting the earth. I see many hurdles to jump over in the next few years, but mostly I’m grateful to be a part of such an dynamic community!”
Christy is an organic coffee farmer living who lives on the big island of Hawaii. Along with growing award winning Kona Coffee, she and her husband Eric grow avocados, bananas and other food crops. They are occasionally supervised by their cat, Lucky.
Christy has also taught meditation for the past 40 years. She is a co-leader of meditation and dolphin healing retreats on the Big Island each fall. She is currently teaching classes on meditation and vital aging, nutrition and wellness.
Along with her love of the land, being near, in or on the water is in her blood and is a necessary part of her life. She loves snorkeling and is proud to say she has been bitten by a humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa fish (the Hawaii State fish) not just once, but twice.
Christy lived for over 30 years San Francisco Bay Area before her move to Hawaii. From San Francisco to Berkeley in the 70’s, to the Calistoga wine country and down to the Silicone Valley, it was an exciting place to live.
Around 6 years ago, she and her husband Eric started having discussions about aging in place and where and how that would be. They had a lot of ideas and questions, but few answers. Then in 2014 they moved to Panama with the idea that it would be a great place to retire. They lived there for 2 years, but eventually decided that though they loved the country and the people, they were missing the US.
Back on their farm, they continued their aging in place discussion and one day found out about cohousing. Almost from the first Christy knew this idea fit so many of the things she valued and it also successfully answered many questions about how she and Eric wanted to age in place. In Sept. of this year, they traveled to Fidalgo Island in Washington state to meet the Skagit Cohousing group and attend a workshop with Katie McCamant, a leader in the US Cohousing movement. By the end of the workshop, they were in.
“I’m beyond excited to be working with a great group of people who share many of the values that are dear to me: community, cooperation, sharing resources, respecting the earth. I see many hurdles to jump over in the next few years, but mostly I’m grateful to be a part of such an dynamic community!”
Eric Mader
Eric grew up in Cleveland Ohio, where he stayed until he graduated from college. After that, he moved around a bit. First to Boston, then Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii. Since college, he has worked as a computer programmer for such companies as Xerox, IBM and Apple.
Eric retired a few years ago; spending a couple of years in Panama and then moving back to Hawaii. He now spends his time playing with computers, working on the organic coffee farm in Hawaii, watching movies and petting the cat. For him, Skagit Cohousing is just the next step in the adventure.
“I’m excited to be part of designing a community where I’ll know all of my neighbors and share good times with them."
Eric grew up in Cleveland Ohio, where he stayed until he graduated from college. After that, he moved around a bit. First to Boston, then Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii. Since college, he has worked as a computer programmer for such companies as Xerox, IBM and Apple.
Eric retired a few years ago; spending a couple of years in Panama and then moving back to Hawaii. He now spends his time playing with computers, working on the organic coffee farm in Hawaii, watching movies and petting the cat. For him, Skagit Cohousing is just the next step in the adventure.
“I’m excited to be part of designing a community where I’ll know all of my neighbors and share good times with them."
