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Who Are the People
Behind Ukiah HOURS?
The Ukiah HOURS project was the inspiration of Larry Sheehy, who has read and explored and promoted the topic of Local Currency and Sustainable Economics in Mendocino County for many years. He finally began gathering a group of committed people together to make a local currency in Ukiah a reality...
From left to right: Joan Kelley, King Collins, Chris McCormick, Ron Cole, Dale Glaser
Ron Cole
King Collins
Dale Glaser
Joan Kelley
Chris McCormick
Larry Sheehy
Ron Cole
- Why I got involved in Ukiah HOURS: I became acquainted with the concept of local currency through the writings of Thomas Greco and became involved in the movement to establish a local currency in the fall of 1998. I believe that having an alternate currency in place would act as an economic safety net in the event of another "1929" style recession.
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- Background: I moved to Ukiah in 1970. My wife Meli and I raised a family of three children who have now grown and left the area.
(roncole@juno.com)
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King Collins
- Why I got involved in Ukiah HOURS: I have felt for a long time that we (the local community and, by extension, the larger society) need to experiment with different forms of exchange, or currency.
What really caused me to get involved in the HOURS project was a comment by Thomas Greco (author of "New Money for Healthy Communities") that one of the advantages of local currency was its educational value. That made sense to me.
I have long believed that money and commerce banalizes everything including our so-called democracy. We have a form of democracy - but it tends to be a democracy of the most mediocre experience, that constantly reinforces the status quo. The dollar - the dominant currency - is taken for granted as an adequate measure of everything. Therefore for us to print and to use a local homemade currency, is to toy with the monster, to play with the thing that has captured our mind . There is much to be said about the dollar and how it dominates us and prevents us from even conceiving of a more humane world.
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- Background: I grew up in a small town in Ohio and graduated from Denison University, a small Ohio college. I served in the army in the early 60s, before the Vietnam war. In the mid-60s, I attended graduate school at Columbia Teacher College in New York, where I was a doctoral candidate in Social Psychology. As I progressed toward my degree, the Vietnam War caught my attention and I became keenly aware of the compromises that would be required if I were to continue toward my degree. As the war intensified, I saw that most of my colleagues and professors were unwilling to set aside their professional goals, even for a short time, to help end the war. In 1968, however, things changed at Columbia. Over a thousand students rebelled against their studies and occupied buildings on the campus. Of course I joined the movement and in the heat of the discussions, I found the integrity I was looking for. It was an authentic uprising (like many other places in 1968, or Berkeley in 1964). It is hard to convey how exciting and compelling the experience was. I believe that such moments are windows into the future in that they give us insight beyond the mundane limits of normal life and help us imagine fundamental changes in our lives.
- In the years since Columbia I have worked as a printer, an electrical contractor and most recently as a graphic designer and desktop publisher. All of these trades, by the way, were learned originally while working in small collectively run businesses.
- Most important, I've been married twice---to two beautiful women---and fathered three wonderful children. They continue to inspire and challenge me, and are three more reasons to never give up.
- Aside from my work in desktop publishing (Green Mac) I work at Mendocino College as a part-time instructor in Computer Science and Business Office Technology.
- And finally, given the nature of things today, I remain a misfit, a rebel, and an optimist: A misfit because I am uncomfortable living in this upside down world, a rebel because I do not accept this state of affairs and an optimist because I believe in the intelligence and basic goodness of ordinary people.
(greenmac@pacific.net)
Dale Glaser
- Why I got involved in Ukiah HOURS: I came on board the Ukiah HOURS project in early 1999. I had created some computer design tools for the Mendocino Environmental Center web site which made it relatively easy to create and maintain database type information on the web and in print. I realized that these tools could be useful for Ukiah HOURS directory. I planned to just get involved at this technical level, but I soon found myself getting very intrigued and interested in the whole topic of money : What is money? How exactly does the federal monetary system work? Are there disadvantages inherent in federal money? I saw that there are, and I realized that a local currency could supplement and improve upon federal currency in many positive ways. Most especially, it could help foster community identity and as well as economic self-sufficiency and sustainability. I have jumped head first into this inspiring project. I created and maintain the HOURS web site, and member database. And I really enjoy promoting Ukiah HOURS in my community. I want to see HOURS become a reality!
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- Background: I graduated with a BA in Psychology from U.C. Berkeley in 1966, and then dropped out of a clinical psychology Masters program. My work since then has been interesting and varied, with the overriding context being a decision to to choose time over money in my life, and I have lived a quality life and not worked at a full-time job since 1970. I have been a gardener, an auto mechanic, a carpenter, an alternative energy system enthusiast and installer, a newspaper reporter, and a desktop publisher on the Macintosh. My last job was teaching computer science classes at Mendocino College. I have lived in the hills outside of Ukiah for 20 years in a house I built myself and power with renewable energy. Some of my current interests are: working on the HOURS project, helping out at the Mendocino Environmental Center, inspiring people to install renewable energy systems. and exploring the nature of reality and the meaning of life.
(dglaser@pacific.net)
Joan Kelley
- Why I got involved in Ukiah HOURS: Our family has lamented the loss of community in current culture and we have participated in some forms of barter for a long time. Ukiah HOURS is a more refined form of barter that encourages a sense of community. So developing an alternative currency struck a chord as a practical project that extended toward my vision of a future I would like to live in. It is also a platform from which issues of sustainable economy and grassroots democracy can be discussed.
Chris McCormick
Why I got involved in Ukiah HOURS: I became involved while I was at New College in a degree program called Culture, Ecology and Sustainable Community. One of the topics studied was: Sustainable Economy. What would it take? We looked at the federal monetary system which is based on interest and debt. We were invited to "think local." Representatives from the Sonoma Cash local currency project were there and their presentation inspired me to take on Community Currency as my thesis project, and focus on its history, concepts and implementation. I contacted Larry Sheehy in October 1998 to work on creating a local currency in Ukiah.
Background: I came to Mendocino County in 1987 as a budding artist with the inspiration of having a go at running a business. I have worked at this full-time for five years and now do my art on a part-time basis. While developing this business, I learned and was inspired by the community and the ecosystem.
I just returned from a gathering entitled Transforming the Global Economy, and am hoping to work with people on a global interlinking alternative economy.
(thorn@pacific.net)
Larry Sheehy
Why I got involved in Ukiah HOURS: I first heard about Ithaca HOURS about 5 years ago in one of the many alternative/transformational publications I continually read or scan (I'm an "info junkie"). So 3 years ago when I heard that Dawn Inda was organizing a slide show on the topic (sponsored by the Mendocino Environmental Center), I decided to attend. Seeing the show and listening to the presenter (Maria Gillarian) convinced me that local currency had the potential of contributing to the positive transformation of the economy...moving it back to the local/bioregional from the present disfunctional globalized version. So, thanks to Dawn and the MEC, I finally had a model project I could apply to helping save our local economy and moving it towards focusing on sustainability.
Background: I am a dreamer and a visionary...doing the actual work has always been difficult for me. Not that I haven't done my share of social change work, but I have always tended towards the broader vision than the smaller, more practical, at-home projects. The HOURS project is helping me to be more practical. Along with doing HOURS as my community-contribution (voluntary) work, I am currently in the process of buying a used bookstore in Ukiah (Serendipity Used Books at 111 W. Church St.) which I will convert from a general store to a cultural center/store focusing on transformational books/gifts/videos/etc...spiritual growth, positive social change, peace, nonviolence. I will also specialize in local/regional history, folk music, quality children's, Native American/local Pomo, local writers/poets...etc. Doing the bookstore is a fulfillment of my lifetime dream of creating right livlihood for myself...a way to still be the dreamer, but also become more practical. I see the store as being a key public place in Ukiah from which to promote HOURS and the idea of sustainable economic development.
I also happen to be seeking a soulmate/partner to hopefully spend the duration with. A woman to share some of my dreams and visions with...to share some of her dreams and visions with...and more. And ideally another Ukiah HOURS member! I wonder if I can put that down as a request in the directory? "Youthful 59 year old transformational visionary seeks...".
Other stuff: I was born a Gemini in San Diego in 1940 at 1:07am...raised there very traditionally (weren't most of us of that era?), went off to the army, came back for awhile and decided to couldn't live in big cities any longer so moved to the smaller (then at least) city of Fresno to do college...was coverted to a new direction in life (life-affirming, social change) by the anti-war/free speech movements (1968)...spent 15 years doing community work (alternative school, bookstore, vegetarian cafe, running for gov't office, being on boards and commissions, etc.)...then discovering that Fresno was too large and unchangable...moving to remote Northern WA for a year, then discovering Mendoland (via my siempre friend Lang Russel), moving here in 1984...here since then...mainly helping co-parent (most important thing I've in my life!!!) April and Gabe (as their "extra dad"), living and working for many of the past years at Mariposa School (now Mariposa Institute), serving on the Ukiah Planning Commission for 2 years until getting disgusted with local "good-old-boy" politics (which I think is finally changing) and quiting...sometimes thinking about running for City Council on a Sustainable Future platform (or helping someone else get elected)...and sometimes thinking I ramble too much (like now). I'd love to have folks/friends drop by the bookstore. At the present time I am there on Thusdays and Fridays...keeping the bookstore (which is still called Serendipity and shares the space with A Touch of Magic gift/clothing/jewelry shop) open until 9pm. Once I take over I will expand the hours to be open every night until at least 9pm, except Mondays and Tuesdays. Hope to see you there! And don't forget to recruit more HOURS members.
(larrysheehy@pacific.net)
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Last Update: 8/22/99
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