On April 11, a Bastyr University annual tradition continues with Community Day. It is an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to escape the rigors of the school year with a half-day of fun. While we work hard throughout the year, we also believe that holistic wellness includes taking time to slow down. On Community Day we enjoy our community, delight in a free lunch and play on our forested campus. Additionally, anyone with memories of our namesake, Dr. John Bastyr, will be invited to share them in our oral history recording that day.
Earth Day and Herb Week
While we at Bastyr celebrate nature every day, Earth Day, which is on April 22, is a time for all of us to be particularly mindful of our planet.
The last day of April and the beginning of May will also be a time to honor Mother Earth and the bounties she provides. The purpose of National Herb Week is to develop and coordinate national attention on herbs, herb businesses and the International Herb Association. This year’s herb is rose. We will have activities on campus to mark this national event.
Spring for Health Luncheon
This year’s annual fundraising Spring for Health Luncheon on May 16 will focus on “food as nature’s medicine” and will be held at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle. Hosted by KING-5 TV’s Jean Enersen, proceeds from the event will go toward uncompensated care at Bastyr Center for Natural Health. Unique to this year’s program are keynote speakers and Bastyr alumni Peter Bongiorno, ND, LAc, and Pina LoGiudice, ND, LAc (the latter of whom has made multiple appearances on "The Dr. Oz Show.")
John Bastyr Book Journey
The Spring for Health Luncheon will also be the site of the kickoff of our Bastyr Book Journey. Between May and September, our network of alumni on the West Coast will carry one of our namesake’s favorite books, Return to Nature by Adolph Just, from Seattle to San Diego, where it will arrive in time for the grand opening of Bastyr University California.
Sacred Seeds Ethnobotanical Trail
We are excited to announce a new garden project taking place on campus. Bastyr University has been selected as the Pacific Northwest representative of the Sacred Seeds project, an international effort to cultivate native plants, encourage seed saving and retain local ethnobotanical knowledge. We are honored to have been chosen and will be working closely with community representatives and local tribes to create a communal space in which to share the uses and importance of native plants. Part of the new trail will open at our annual Herb and Food Fair on June 2.
We hope you will take part in some of the wonderful events blooming at Bastyr in the coming months.
In Health,
Daniel K. Church, PhD
Bastyr University President
