Every spring, the Cohousing Association of the United States (CohoUS) promotes a nationwide Open House. The Open House provides an opportunity for cohousing communities to host live or in-person events to promote their communities and to talk to people interested in the communities and in cohousing.
After taking a break from live Open House events, BCC returned with a big, in-person event on May 6. The massive cleanup we'd done on the community workday a week before ensured our home would be in spic and span shape for guests.
The Open House gave our neighbors in Old West Durham a chance to take a better look at the big condo building plonked in their neighborhood and to talk to BCC residents about our experiences and why we love this way of living as part of a close community.
An estimated 50 guests attended the Open House. In addition to some light refreshment around our fire pit, guests took brief tours of the building.
Here are about a third of the BCC residents who took part in the Open House event and helped make it a success. Even a seemingly simple event like an Open House required an enormous amount of planning and lots of energy to pull off.
Hans and Susan helped guide visitors to the sign-in table and tours, and served as friendly faces to welcome newcomers to BCC.
A BalconyCam(R) shot of BCC residents mingling with Open House visitors in our lovely garden and under the shade.
A popular feature of the Open House was taking small groups of 5-6 people on tours of the building's common areas and, thanks to the kindness of some BCC residents, the inside of several units. Kate Neale, center, shares with BCC neighbor Kate Young (left) and guests the particulars of her beautifully decorated apartment.
BCC co-founder Jim McCrae (left) chats with an Old West Durham neighbor.
The Open House was blessed with a gorgeously sunny day that showed off the building and the garden, with plenty of places to sit, chat, or enjoy the shade.
Photos courtesy of Andy Goolsby