The Founders of Pathways

The seven founders of Pathways are Penny Winton, Mike Winton, Jim Wittenberg, Jane Barrash, Cathy Buelow, Peg Kellar and myself, Howard Bell. Penny Winton had the idea of creating a resource center and Jane Barrash and the Continuum Center was the common link that brought these particular seven like-minded persons together.

One of our early tasks was to write a mission statement. We spent several months, numerous drafts and several group sessions to come to agreement on what we hoped would provide a long-term stable vision for this organization we were attempting to birth. "Support a creative healing response to life threatening illness" became the core concept in

The founders knew that all we could do was to create the container, and that the creative responses to life-threatening illness would depend on those persons who would fill the container as volunteers and participants. We decided that it would be ideal to blur the distinction between provider and recipient since we strongly believed that we are all on a healing path. We also affirmed that true healing comes from within and is not magically and externally conveyed by the right drug, the right medical treatment, the right alternative treatment or from healer to healer.

The 14 volunteer providers on the first calendar in April/May 1989 were Paul Beyer, Naida Colby, Sage Cowles, Marcelyn Erickson, Madonna Gisch, Louise Quinn Kroese, Carol O'Brien, Steve Sonmore, Dee Millard, Chris Peters, Carol Renner, Dewey Renner, Carol Walker, and Robin Whitebird. Two of our founders, Cathy Buelow and Penny Winton became our first staunch Support Staff Volunteer. Prior to our scheduled opening on April 1,1989, Robert Wenger, was referred by Jane Barrash and the Continuum Center. Bob thus became Pathways' first participant. In response to dropping in to our rented space at 3237 Hennepin Avenue South, where we were assembling a rudimentary library of healing resources, Bob remarked, "I feel like a kid in a candy store". In gratitude, Bob also became the first outsider to be a Support Staff Volunteer.

The first group session at Pathways was a Healing Circle. This program was suggested by Perry Tilleraas, a local person who authored Color of Light, Daily Meditations for All of Us Living with AIDS. Along with Perry, Kevin Daley, Bruce Eden, Mick Flannigan, and Keith Gann comprised the planning committee and the first participants. The only sticking point in the development of the Healing Circle was Pathways policy of not doing disease-specific groups.

The planning committee had initially wanted to create a Healing Circle for persons with HIV/AIDS. Pathways founders decided that this policy was essential for Pathways and the planning committee agreed to open the Circle to all comers. We couldn't wait to start, so the first Healing Circle was held on Tuesday, March 28, 1989. This program quickly grew to an average attendance of 10 to 15 persons from diverse backgrounds. It continued on a regular weekly basis for over four years.

Ten years later mission remains unchanged. The policies that were implemented have continued to guide the organization.

Our uniquely designed building, completed in June, 1993, and awarded a 1999 Honor Award for Architecture from the American Institute of Architects, has allowed us to fulfill our mission beyond our early expectations.

After reaching 150 active providers in 1994, we decided to limit growth in order to better assure quality and maintain a current roster of 120 to 130 providers. More than 80 support staff volunteers currently manage the front desk, scheduling days, the library, the computer data entry, the building and yard maintenance, and any special projects that are needed. On a monthly basis, an average of 230 to 300 participants bring total attendance to between 900 to 1100.

However, the creative healing responses, truly, are not connected to any of these numbers, but rather to transformations that happen to any individual participant when learning skills for coping with illness; or practicing yoga, tai chi, qigong, breathwork, shamanic journeying, movement, etc.; or using the arts for creative expression; or experiencing imagery; or committing to an on-going program such as Choices, Renewing Life,™ Together We Heal, Living and Dying, Grief, or Rigpa Meditation; or dropping in for Meditation, Attitudinal Healing, etc.; or when receiving one-on-one the gifts of massage, acupressure or the many varieties of energy healing. Pathways is deeply grateful to each provider volunteer, support staff volunteer and, most importantly, to the creative participants throughout our ten year history who ultimately become our teachers in life, in death and in creative responses to life-threatening illness.