Kelle Kersten

I live and take care of a beautiful, mostly wooded property in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. My large veganic garden provides my family and friends with plentiful vegetables, fruits, and herbs. I volunteer with a local land conservancy by serving as a member of the advisory board and as a riparian buffer steward and by participating in a program that monitors the water quality of streams in the area. Although my husband and I do not have any children of our own, we enjoy mentoring young people and giving them the opportunity to connect to nature with us. For many years we hosted kids from New York City through the Fresh Air program, and I mentored three girls through the Big Brother Big Sister program. We also enjoy meeting people from other countries, and since 2019, we have been hosting high school exchange students for 10 months at a time. In addition, I participate in a weekly international discussion group and in a program that matches native English speakers with international people to help them improve their English through conversation. I am grateful to Doug, Steve, and Mary for creating the Resilience and Acceptance course and to the Resilience and Acceptance Community that has evolved from the course. The course and the ongoing discussion groups provide a much-needed safe space for talking about collapse and for exploring in community the numerous emotional and practical aspects of collapse.