The Learning Council
Our Mission: Enriching community through education, art, advocacy, food, agriculture and wellness for all. Sign Up for Our NewsletterSupport Us!
The Learning Council participates in Colorado Gives Day, a day dedicated to giving back to our community. Join us in making a difference by supporting education, creativity, and life skills for all. Together, we can make a positive impact and empower individuals to reach their full potential.
Our Colorado Gives 365 Page is Live from now until December 6th!
Help Us Complete the Essential Renovations of The Hearth​!
The priority renovations at The Hearth include commercial kitchen & bathrooms!
The commercial kitchen will be home to the TLC Kitchen Crew, which provides weekly locally sourced meals to the community by donation. It will also be used as a “teaching” kitchen for classes on cooking local/cultural/ethnic foods, herbal and wildcrafted preparations, etc.
Vision
The Learning Council is an educational hub for the North Fork Valley, connecting learners and educators to meet specific needs and empower personal growth. The outcomes of our programs encourage learners to give back to the community through service. Responding to the needs of our community we offer a variety of classes and learning opportunities for all ages and skill levels, continually broadening our course selection.
Diversity Statement
We believe in lifelong learning and education as a resource for everyone. We are committed to inclusion across race, gender, age, religion, identity, and experience.
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Our Partners
Upcoming Events
Movement as Medicine
Dec 3 – Come and move with us in the Movement As Medicine – Experiential Dance Practice. Facilitated by Arlyn Alderdice with live music by David Alderdice, Daniel Be and Mateo Sandate
Holiday Song Circle for Peace
Dec 7 – Holiday Song Circle for Peace features carols and songs, hot cocoa and inner warmth for the season with Christi Gubser and John Whooley.
Firestarters
Thursdays, Oct-Dec – Firestarters is a series for boys 9-12 to learn outdoor skills and adventure like bow making, hide tanning, animal processing and more.
Imagination As Power
Thursdays, Nov-Dec – Imagination is a power for change. It’s a power we share as a community and can turn to when the going gets tough.
Arbol Winter Market
Tuesdays, Nov 21-Apr 16 – The Arbol Winter Market will occur on designated Tuesdays from November 21 through Apr 16 – held at The Hearth in Paonia.
Mindful Mamas
Every Monday – Mindful Mamas encourages you to come as you are to gather, share and learn more about pregnancies.
Harvest for Health Monday Lunch
Harvest for Health Monday Lunch is prepared by Chrys Bailey, family and friends. 2nd and 4th Monday of each month. Pick-up – Trading Post.
Healthy Natural Lifeways
2nd Monday of Month – In Healthy Natural Lifeways, join roundtable conversations regarding natural herbal remedies, alternative healing modalities and more!
Paonia Bike Co-op
Mondays – The Paonia Bike Co-op is a non-profit, educationally-based co-op that helps people work on and learn about bikes.
Senior Yoga
Wednesdays – Senior Yoga with Katy Goldsberry is a gentle therapeutic class for all bodies and abilities – at The Hearth.
Rainmaker’s Meditation Circle
Thursdays, 11-1pm – With Rainmaker’s Meditation Circle, bring a prayer, a dream, a vision for the world in meditative imagination
Life Drawing
The Learning Council transforms the Hearth every Wednesday night into an open studio. Artists of all skill levels are welcome to practice life drawing.
Day of Mindfulness
2nd Saturday of Month – The Day of Mindfulness will include sitting meditation, tea, Dharma talk or poem, walking meditation and sharing our reflections.
Featured Activity
Community Lunch
Our cooking class utilizes local organic foods, to turn students on to the vitality, nutrition and flavor of our local bounty, while supporting local farms. The class prepares a community meal ($10 suggested donation or 1 hour of work in the kitchen).
We offer weekly meals attracting more community members each time, as well as, people from neighboring communities. We serve a minimum of 50 people each week lunch. This class teaches practical skills, service, and has a mentoring system where students will share their knowledge with each other while working together on a dish.