Joanie Freeman

ECOVILLAGE
Joanie has been the co-owner of the EcoVillage Charlottesville property since 2014. As residential care taker she developed a role of inviting the community to the property for many different types of events. The purpose always has been to share the ideas and the vision of our eco friendly intentional community model. That entails the eco life style change and having people connecting with each other for community building. She creates a warmth and comfort for people to come and gather in the Lochlyn House while growing an experience of community. Those events include weekly potlucks, book readings, house concerts, storytelling, honoring and discovering how to handle life situations and exploring together while connecting with Community. Additionally there have been many environmental groups meetings for education and advocacy purposes to help make needed changes personally, community wide and nationally. The creation of the singing group called the Green Grannies of Charlottesville was her way of adding fun to an important message. Their Green Grannies is to "Entertain, Educate and Energize" people to become active.

BACKGROUND
Joanie’s diverse professional background reflects her solutions-oriented approach to the issues close to her heart. Her formal education was in early childhood and special education at the University of Florida. She would later use this degree working for Miami Dade County Public Schools. Her position culminated in developing a model program for moderately mentally handicapped high school students. Among other endeavors Joanie also owned and operated two popular child care centers to support single and working parents. She worked as an advocate for people who were homeless in Miami through the Mental Health Association. Alongside these ventures, Joanie also taught Iyengar Yoga for over twenty years. Once her two sons had grown up, Joanie spent a year travelling the United States to see what life was like throughout the country. She settled briefly in Virginia, only to pack her bags and spend another five years volunteering around the world. These experiences left her with a passion for creating a living solution to the problems the world is facing re-framing our relationship to our environment and rebuilding interdependence in our communities.

ecovillagecville@gmail.com