Honor:  Inducted in Towson High
School Hall of Fame April 2008.  News!  Steward of La Paix elected to Towson High School Hall of Fame!
See more details and photos of the event with beautiful people in them below.  Scroll all the way down - it's worth it!

 

Off Farm PRESENTATIONS & TALKS

SCHEDULED IN 2004 
1.  Vandalia Garden Festival, Charleston, W.V. April 3rd:   The Seven Sensations of Lavender
2.  Ozark Research Institute Convention, Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 25th:  Intuitive Herbalism 
a Power Presentation with daughter Kathleen Shannon O'Brien Hale.
 3.  Annual Spring Business Meeting Weston Area Community Educational Outreach Service, Cottage Corner Two Restaurant, Salem, W.V. May 1st:  The Seven Sensations of Lavender
4.  West Fork Soil Conservation District Annual Agriculture Field Day.  Doddridge County Park. June 5th:  9:15 - 11:30 a.m. Organically Growing and Using Herbs for Table, Beauty and Health
5.  Lightstone Foundation,  Moyers  W.V.  July 10th
Dowsing Techniques & Experiences
6.   SARE  (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education USDA) Oct. 19, 20.  
National Conference:  Poster Presentation-
Lavender Project.  Burlington, Vermont.

2006 Presentations to date:
Myra spoke at the Garden Festival in Charleston WV Saturday, April 22nd, 2006
Topic:  "Why We Garden - Becoming One with Everything"
2008:  Presented "Growing Green in Your Garden"at the Garden Festival in Charleston, March, 2008. 

2008:   WV Herb Association Conference on Friday, Oct. 31st, 2008 Days Inn Flatwoods WV
"Growing Green in Your Garden"
Not you- your garden!  talk with 165 scenes of La Paix

Myra Bonhage-Hale, Steward of La Paix Herb Farm
from cover of Wild Wonderful West Virginia magazine, May 1995.  Photography:  Ron Snow  
Story:  Mary Lee Scalf.
M.S.W.  Univ. of Maryland School of Social Work & Community Planning.  Major:  Community Organization.
B.A. Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland.
Graphic Design:  Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Instructor:  Boston University

Aromatherapy:  Australasian College of Herbal Studies, Provence, France.
Organic farmer.
Spring, 2005:  Peace Museum Course, Transcend Peace University

Past President:  West Virginia Herb Association,
Mountain State Organic Grower and Buyers Association
Co-Founder and past vice president:  Psych. Rehab Trainers of WV
Past President: Mountain State Dowsers, 1998-2006
2007-08:    Board Member West Virginia Environmental Council
and
Co-Director: Sustainable Living for West Virginia/Sustainable Fair.
2000. 2001. 2002. 2008

Co-Chair:  West Virginia Herb Association Fall Conference 2003.  
2008:  Member The Gallery, Weston. WV
Secretary, Member of the Board:  Lewis County Concerned Citizens - presently opposing PATH

This photo was taken by my former apprentice, Marie Koon, when we traveled to Baltimore for my induction into the Hall of Fame of Towson High School.  In the background is the Baltimore Harbor.  For more photos of the beautiful people attending, click here.

Steward of La Paix named Notable Alumni of Washington College Spring 2009

News!  Steward of La Paix elected to Towson High School Hall of Fame!
For photos of beautiful people attending my 15 seconds of fame



Myra and son, Bill at Bonfire August 2004

Honor:  Named "West Virginia Green Entrepreneur of the Year 2005"
by the West Virginia Environmental Council
Towson High School Hall of Fame 2008.

 

    Photo by Helen Caldwell
         Lavender Fair 2006

Myra Bonhage-Hale,  Steward of La Paix Herb Farm, will present an interactive workshop at the Yes Fest in Clarksburg, W.V. on Saturday, March 24th, 2007.
Topic:  Let's Emphasize the Positive! 
Sustainable Living Makes Cents.  10 a.m. 
I will be at the WV Environmental Council booth at the Fair with information on many environmental organizations in West Virginia, the Lavender Fair and the Sustainable Fair 2008.  Come visit with me.  I'll give you a Green IQ quiz! 
St. Mary's School, E. Pike St. Clarksburg, W.V.

The initial planning meeting for the Fourth Sustainable Fair in West Virginia was held at La Paix on Dec.  2nd, 2006.  It was decided to hold a  Sustainable Fair on Earth Day Week in April of  2008 at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia.   Next meeting-Saturday, April 7th,  2007 at Stonewall Resort, Chef Dale Hawkins chair.  For photo of members present at December meeting, click the WV Sustainable Living page.  If you are interested in participating, click here.
My Son and Daughter:
William Nicoll Hale, III
Bill graduated from Glenville State College, West Virginia in Behavioral Science; worked as Resource Coordinator at Valley Mental Health Center, Morgantown, West Virginia and is now a Crisis Counselor at Valley Mental Health.  Bill comes to 
La Paix frequently on week ends and works in the gardens and shop.  He is learning all about La Paix.  Bill hopes to begin his Master's degree in Counseling in the near future.
Update 2-09-2009:  Bill is the father of a beautiful daughter, Aijah.  He is now employed by Home Base as a Protective Service field worker.

Kathleen Shannon O'Brien Hale
Kathleen graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art, earned her Social Work certification in West Virginia and is currently an administrator in the Fayetteville, Arkansas Headstart program.
Currently enrolled in the Master of Adult Education program at the University of Arkansas.  Kathleen has an A plus average and was inducted into the prestigious Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Scholastic Society  when I was with her in April 2004.  2009:
Kathleen is now the Director of the Pre-K School program for Fayetteville, Arkansas.

My Granddaughter, Aijah Nicole,
who I miss very much
and hope to see here again soon.


Tormaline, Sweet Annie and Snuffles, all abandoned on Crooked Run Road, and now home.


And my Apprentices - what wonderful young women and men.  On the left is Kate Walsh, apprentice 2001 posing with Helen Caldwell, apprentice 2002.
On the right are from the left:  Denise Poole, my friend and co-director of the Sustainable Development group, my son, Bill Hale and Judith Vojik, apprentice 2000, with Helen Caldwell, apprentice 2002.

Other West Virginia Wesleyan College students have apprenticed:  Carrie Liller and David Nichols.

 

 

 

 

Cass Nelson-Dooley  Cass Nelson-Dooley came through ATTRA via the University of Georgia.  In the program of 2003, I am expecting Yuri Kuramoto of Japan, who has a Masters in Japanese literature. She will be conducting a Japanese Tea Ceremony at the WV Herb Association Fall Conference.  The second apprentice was to be a gentleman  from West Africa but  his visa has been denied.  I am disappointed.  More information on Apprentices - click here.

This photo  was taken Saturday the 27th of Sept. 2008 at Baltimore City Harbor by my  former apprentice, Marie Koon.    I  returned from Baltimore  after attending my 55th Towson High School Reunion.  There I was privileged to receive a plaque commemorating my induction into the Hall of Fame. 

Myra Bonhage-Hale, Inducted April 2008.  Noted Herbalist, Entrepreneur & Dedicated Advocate for Social Justice, Peace and the Environment. 
This Award Identifies the recipient as a successful graduate of Towson High School, Towson Maryland but also as a role model whose character and achievement will serve as standards of excellence for all present and future students of our Alma Mater.
 
"Myra Bonhage-Hale, class of 1953, is described in the June 2007 issue of "Wonderful West Virginia", as a noted herbalist, award-winning entrepreneur, former community organizer and lifelong advocate for people and justice."
 
In the 60's after the death of her husband, Patrick Shannon O'Brien, in order to support her two year old daughter, Kathleen, she obtained an NIMH grant and attended the U. of Md. School of Social Work and Community Planning majoring in Community Organization.  After graduating in 1965, she worked as a community organizer in the Pennsylvania Avenue area of Baltimore for four years.  There, she became committed to advocating for the rights of minorities, which became her mission.  This commitment drove her entire career as a social worker - from the Maryland Food Committee to working with the psychiatrically disabled in West Virginia.
 
In the 1970's Myra volunteered with the League of Women Voters of Baltimore City, hosted the league-sponsored radio program "Politics and People", and worked with displaced homemakers.
 
In the 1980's she faced new challenges in Lewis County, WV where she painstakingly transformed a run-down homestead into a certified organic farm, with seasonal workshops, college internships and annual Lavender Fair, and listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
 
For the creation of her appealing and environmentally friendly product line, and her initiatives to develop markets in WV, Myra was named Green Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005 by the WV Environmental Council.  She has been a featured presenter at many local and out of state events, including the Garden Festival in Charleston.  She is past president of the WV Herb Association and the Mountain State Organic Grower and Buyers Association.
 
Also Myra is a co-founder and past co-director of the Sustainable Living for West Virginia Organization, a group that works with statewide educators and federal agencies, to encourage sustainable solutions in the economic, environmental, spiritual and social arenas."
 
The next Lavender Fair at La Paix, subtitled "Just Keep Dancing" will be held on Saturday, June 27th, 2009. 

 

Marie and I at the Award
Dinner.  Marie Koon was my apprentice in 2007, worker in 2008 and full time college student (straight A's) in her first semester at Glenville State College majoring in Environmental Science.		 My Cousin Bambi Miller (middle) who introduced me to dowsing and other Fey events, my  sister Binnie Bonhage Bailey (right), still beautiful at the age of ?  and I getting refreshed before the Award! My sister Binnie, my best friend since high school, Lynnda Skinner Kratovil (whose son was elected to Congress a few months later! - Frankie Kratovil) and my wonderful former apprentice who drove me (despite my directions) to the Event at the Embassy Suites in Hunt Valley, Maryland.  Balto. Co.

The Award!


My beautiful sister, Binnie, who has a beautiful generous heart too!
She treated us all to a tour of the Baltimore Harbor on Saturday and treat of all treats - hard crabs at Bo Brooks.  Ahhhhh the memory!

Marie and I stopped and strolled around the harbor on a bleak, gray day and took dramatic pictures!  It is very poignant to Binnie and I to know that both sides of our family had businesses at the harbor in the 1870-2000 and the buildings are still there.

We had a great time!

 



La Paix Herb Farm
3052 Crooked Run Rd.
Alum Bridge, West Virginia 26321 U.S.A.
(304) 269-7681
email

 

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