2021 ANNUAL REPORT
BACK TO THE REASONS WE WERE FOUNDED
a haven of clear streams, fresh food and solace
A Safe Retreat Option – As of December 1st, 2021, Clement Waters Retreat is the caretaker organization for a mountaintop retreat, chapel and conference hall near the delightfully diverse arts community of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. In November 2019, an Episcopal priest revealed the idea of continuing his existing respite-providing programs hosted there. The prospect of program acquisition required careful deliberation between real-estate lawyers and our board of directors, and on-site training with the priest.
The seven-acre project resonated most with our board members of color, who suggested adding frontline workers to the mix of intended guests. People with more darkly pigmented skin find they’re risking their own safety when traveling in rural Missouri, but there is a route to Eureka Springs not requiring Missouri travel.
Missouri is host to 19 localized and 5 state-wide hate groups. In 2017, when the Missouri legislature voted to remove punishments for discrimination from the Missouri Human Rights Act, the NAACP issued a travel advisory for people of color in the state of Missouri, which is still in effect.
To get to the retreat, Kansas Citians in Missouri can take US Highway 69 South through Kansas and Oklahoma, hopping the Arkansas state line at Bentonville. The dedicated peaceful space makes the prospect of respite in nature available to everyone.
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Clement Waters Retreat board and staff members are especially interested in offering nature immersion therapy near the renowned clear streams of the area—the very practice that caused measurable stress relief and physical healing for the founders.
