Hollyhock Retreat

About

Hollyhock Leadership Centre is a British Columbia-based non-profit dedicated to personal growth, leadership, and social change.

Since 1982, the Centre has hosted nearly 100 programs annually at its stunning Cortes Island campus and various Vancouver locations. They welcome a diverse community of leaders, seekers, and change-makers from all over the world to participate. Hollyhock's curriculum spans health and wellness, creativity, and leadership development, all rooted in the belief that global progress begins with the individual. By weaving together innovation and traditional wisdom, Hollyhock fosters a deep reconnection to nature and community to help uplift the planet.

Purpose, Vision and Mission

Purpose - To renew people's connections to themselves, one another, and the natural world. Vision - A loving and living planet for all. Mission - To nurture inspired leadership through collective and immersive experiences.

Location

Nestled on the serene shores of Cortes Island, in the Discovery Island Archipelago of British Columbia, Canada.

Impact

Hollyhock is largest employer on Cortes Island, B.C. and invests approximately $65,000+ per year with local Cortes-based suppliers, and approximately $465,000 invested into British Columbia economy, through Hollyhock operations.

History

Hollyhock was founded in 1982 by Rex Weyler, Siobhan Robinsong and Lee Robinsong who met at Greenpeace.

While beach walking on Cortes Island, they saw the abandoned hand-crafted buildings of the former Cold Mountain Institute. Siobhan drew Rex's attention to crimson hollyhocks peeking over a hawthorn hedge. Days before, Rex was given that same vision by an intuitive seer at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. Friends Peggy Taylor, Rick Ingrasci, Torkin Wakefield, Charles Steinberg, Yvonne Kipp and Michael Moore joined to purchase the land.

Many others invested over the years, and in 1982, this group of 30 'founders' purchased the abandoned Cold Mountain Institute. Dana Bass Solomon joined in the late 1990s as board member, soon as CEO. With Joel Solomon, Board Chair, (whom she later married), together they have led two decades of mission advancement.

In 2008 the partner group donated full ownership and Hollyhock Leadership Institute became a registered charity. Learn more about how to contribute, here.

Programming

Over the years, Hollyhock has offered a wide range of personal, spiritual and leadership development programs to an international clientele, serving 1,800 to 2,300 guests per year.[1][2] The Centre hosts education and training [3] on topics including activism,[4] creative writing,[5] group facilitation,[5] singing,[5] cooking,[6] painting,[7] drawing,[8] entrepreneurship,[6] dance,[1] photography,[1] leadership,[2][9] social ventures,[10] woodcarving,[11] storytelling,[11] kayaking,[8] animal communication,[10][12] relationships,[13][12] mindfulness,[14] nonviolent communication,[15] spiritual chanting,[15] meditation,[16] Tibetan Buddhism,[10][17] Kabbalah,[18] hara hachi bu,[19] yoga,[20][21] morphic resonance,[10] holistic approaches for dealing with cancer[10] and integrative medicine.[10][22]

Prominent instructors at Hollyhock have included Robert Bateman,[7] Gabor Maté, Jane Siberry, Patrick Lane and Nick Bantock.[10] Hollyhock operates a scholarship fund. In 2008, the centre distributed CAN $97,000 to attendees.[23]

Garden - The Living Classroom

Hollyhock operates a renowned one-acre French-intensive garden on the property. Flowers and food from the garden are used in the retreat centre's meals.[24][25][26]

Home to hundreds of plant and insect species, pollinated daily by bees and wasps, and grounded in over 40 years of sustainable care, this vibrant quarter-acre space exists to educate and inspire; connecting people to beauty and nature of Cortes Island, while feeding the guests, staff and community. The Hollyhock Garden produces thousands of pounds of greens and vegetables, and hundreds of pounds of orchard fruit. Weekly garden tours, private sessions, and online garden videos continue to deep learning and curiosity across the campus and beyond.

In 2024, gardeners grew over 2000 floral arrangements, and $8,852 worth of custom plant starts for 4 professional Island gardeners, and gifted surplus produce and seedlings to staff and the local food bank.

Board of Directors and People

Dr. Katia Sol is the current CEO of Hollyhock, bringing a wealth of experience in transformative education and leadership development, and a focus on heart-centered leadership and emergent systems of change. For over 25 years, she has worked with diverse communities worldwide, centring Indigenous ways of knowing, fostering deep connections with Source and the natural world, and building communities rooted in mutual support and collaboration.

Hollyhock was formerly led Peter Wrinch, who led the organization for 6 years through the COVID-19 pandemic. Preceding Peter Wrinch was former CEO Dana Bass Solomon,[27][9][28][29] and husband, Board Chair, Joel Solomon,[9][10][30][31]. Both were well connectioned to the former mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson.[32][33][34][35][36][37] Robertson was the treasurer of Hollyhock Centre Ltd. from 2003 to 2004,[38] during which he also served on the board of directors.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c Webb, Kate, How the Vancouver mayor’s BFF Joel Solomon is changing the way people do business, retrieved 2013-10-15
  2. ^ a b "Short Trips: Holistic programs work on body and soul", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 21, 2007.
  3. ^ Marion S. Goldman 2006. "Cults, New Religions, and the Spiritual Landscape: A Review of Four Collections", Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 45(1):87-96.
  4. ^ Merchant, Brian, Each Year, Canada's Top Activists & Social Entrepreneurs Head to a Remote Island. This is Why, retrieved 2013-10-11
  5. ^ a b c "Coming to Hollyhock". Vancouver Observer. 2013-03-20. Retrieved 2013-06-12.
  6. ^ a b c Solomon, Linda and Moreka Jolar. "Hollyhock Cooks", 2003.
  7. ^ a b Stateson, Alexandra, Hollyhock is good for the soul, retrieved 2013-10-11
  8. ^ a b Rabinovitch, Simona, Bliss break: Summer gone too quickly?, retrieved 2013-10-11
  9. ^ a b c Stephen Legault 2010. "Carry Tiger to Mountain: The Tao of Activism and Leadership" ISBN 978-1458783134.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Charlie Smith, "Building Hollyhock’s legacy", Georgia Straight, April 26, 2007.
  11. ^ a b Kallenbach, Laurel, Eco-Retreat: Hollyhock Educational Center, retrieved 2013-10-11
  12. ^ a b Spano, Susan (1997-10-12). "FRUGAL TRAVELER; Mellowing on a Canadian Isle". New York Times. Retrieved 2013-06-12.
  13. ^ Shannon Rupp, "Hollyhock Blends Salt air and Spirituality Lite", Georgia Straight, March 28, 1996.
  14. ^ M. Kathleen B. Lustyk, PhD; Neharika Chawla, MS; Roger S. Nolan, MA; G. Alan Marlatt, PhD. 2009. "Mindfulness Meditation Research: Issues of Participant Screening, Safety Procedures, and Researcher Training" Advances, 24(1):20-30.
  15. ^ a b "Spiritual retreats on Vancouver Island respond to life's challenges", Canadian Press, May 12, 2009.
  16. ^ Sameet M. Kumar. 2010. The Mindful Path through Worry and Rumination: Letting Go of Anxious and Depressive Thoughts. New Harbinger Publications.
  17. ^ G. Alan Marlatt 2006. "Mindfulness meditation: Reflections from a personal journey", Current Psychology, 25(3):155-172.
  18. ^ "Summer gone too quickly?", The Globe and Mail, April 3, 2009.
  19. ^ Jim Nicolai. 2013. Integrative Wellness Rules: A Simple Guide to Healthy Living. Hay House, Inc.
  20. ^ Tom Pilarzyk. 2008. Yoga Beyond Fitness: Getting More Than Exercise from an Ancient Spiritual Practice. Quest Books.
  21. ^ "Cortes Island residents seek compromise with loggers". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 2012-12-07.
  22. ^ Stephan Faulkner 2001. "Two Years in Review", Association of Complementary Physicians of British Columbia News, 1(1):1-8.
  23. ^ Soloman, Dana Bass (2008), Dear Cortes Island Neighbours, retrieved 2013-10-15
  24. ^ Oliver, Anne (2007), "A Garden of Eden, Nutrition for the Soul" (PDF), DreamScapes Magazine: 27, archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-16, retrieved 2013-10-15
  25. ^ Barazzuol, Toby (2010), Changemakers and entrepreneurs jam out at Social Ventures Institute, retrieved 2013-10-15
  26. ^ Zdybel, Katie (2010), "Replete Retreat" (PDF), Eat Magazine: 20, archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-16, retrieved 2013-10-15
  27. ^ "Hollyhock retreat: 'Paradise with purpose'" Archived 2013-10-17 at the Wayback Machine, Surrey Now, May 26, 2009.
  28. ^ Wood, Linda Solomon (2007-12-19). "Van Go: Movers and Shakers Celebrate Year End at Fab Party". Vancouver Observer. Retrieved 2013-06-12.
  29. ^ "Hollyhock retreat offers tool for change, hope and optimism", Canwest News Service, June 26, 2009.
  30. ^ Francis Bula 2009. "The Unlikely Revolutionary", Vancouver Magazine.
  31. ^ Derrick Penner. "Hollyhock Board Chair Joel Solomon and Hollyhock Sharegiver Carol Newell Inducted To Social Venture Hall of Fame", Vancouver Sun, November 20, 2012.
  32. ^ "Joined at the hip: The mutually beneficial relationship of a mayor and his closest adviser", The Globe and Mail, December 12, 2008.
  33. ^ "Holly moly", Vancouver Courier, February 15, 2011.
  34. ^ Jeff Lee, "Are Vancouver City staff political handmaids of the mayor?", Vancouver Sun, April 11, 2011.
  35. ^ Culbert, Lori, "How Big Money Drives Social Change", Vancouver Sun, August 8, 2010.
  36. ^ Don't count NPA out next year, Vancouver Courier, November 26, 2010.
  37. ^ The Hollyhock primer Archived 2013-10-17 at the Wayback Machine, City Caucus, March 10, 2010.
  38. ^ Smith, Charlie (2010-10-16). "Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson's associate generated significant income from charity work | Georgia Straight". Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2013-06-12.
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