Vermont Retreat Provides Recreation, Education for Families

Author: John McKInley

Foster Hetherington '95, a resident of Brandon, Vt., lost his brother, Peter Morgan Goodrich, on Sept. 11. He was a passenger on United Airlines flight 175, the second airplane to crash into the World Trade Center. Hetherington was unable to make financial contributions, but he still had the desire to help other victims' families cope with their loss.

Reflecting on his brother's love for the outdoors as well as his own knowledge of the mountains and streams of Vermont, Hetherington decided to create a retreat called the Dragonfly Foundation that is designed specifically for the families of Sept. 11 victims.

A dragonfly, Hetherington said, not only reminds him of the times he and his brother "spent playing with bugs as kids," but it also, in Japanese iconography, represents a new beginning. Naming the retreat the Dragonfly Foundation, therefore, "just felt right," commented Hetherington.

Something that sets it apart is that the Dragonfly Foundation is designed to provide victims' families with "an opportunity to join together in the mountains of Vermont for rest and recreation as well as educational events, at little or no cost," explained Hetherington.

If the foundation reaches its funding goal, the retreat will include four to five fully furnished houses, a common meeting house, a trading post for general supplies and outdoor gear and a maintenance barn situated on roughly 100 acres of land. Food and transportation to and from the retreat are the only costs for the families.

Embracing Vermont's natural beauty and cultural history, the Dragonfly Foundation will provide a wide range of activities. Guests will be able to choose from hiking, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, snowshoeing, pottery, antiquing, yoga, massage therapy, photography and eco-tours. "Guests can come to Vermont and truly relax," Hetherington stated.

In addition, the Dragonfly Foundation is looking to build what Hetherington described as a "mutually beneficial" relationship with Middlebury College. He would like to bring faculty members to speak at symposia on religion, philosophy, history, entomology and astronomy.

Education and intellectual exploration, he explained, were always important to his brother. "Pete was close to being the smartest person I know, and he had an incredible ability to share his knowledge with anyone," Hetherington said. Allowing for physical, emotional and intellectual growth in this way, Hetherington claimed, will enhance the long-term effects of a week at the Dragonfly Foundation.

Although the retreat is designed specifically for the immediate families of victims, "[friends] of family members are welcome and encouraged to visit as special guests," he said. Hetherington expects to host eight to 15 people a week, roughly 800 visitors a year.

He estimated that there are 40,000 to 50,000 people in the world who would qualify to spend a week at the retreat. The Foundation will work closely with the community, maintaining efficient and ecologically responsible means to conserve the natural habitat and its surrounding communities, Hetherington asserted.

In order to bring these goals to fruition, however, the Dragonfly Foundation must garner substantial financial support. Hetherington estimated the total cost of the project at around $10 million.

Currently, the Foundation has secured roughly $20,000. "I'm politely persistent," Hetherington stated in terms of seeking donations and media coverge. "I don't have any problem asking for money — this service is needed," he said. The Foundation is planning to begin a broader fundraising soon.

The Dragonfly Foundation will not completely operational until the necessary funds are acquired, but it is nonetheless beginning on a small scale this summer. The Waybury Inn has already agreed to provide two rooms for two nights in early June, according to Hetherington. Slowly but surely, things are falling into place. "Putting this all together is a lot of hard work," he admitted, "but people will soon realize what I'm doing is for real and what we will provide for families is needed and offered no where else — failure is not an option."

Any Middlebury student interested in volunteering this summer at the Dragonfly Foundation is encouraged to contact Hetherington. The Foundation is also accepting donations. For more information, contact Hetherington at (802) 247-6924 or email him at janifost@sover.net.