Fellowship of Friends is an intentional community encompassing 1,200 acres at the spiritual center, Apollo, in the Sierra Nevada foothills. A main goal of Fellowship of Friends is to provide people with practical ways of connecting with their higher selves and exploring a conscious approach to life. At the core of this is a focus on being present as a daily practice. This form of mindfulness requires a conscious choice between darkness and light and involves quieting the lower self’s continuous activities. One of these activities of the lower self takes the form of a steady stream of thoughts and words, as manifested by the “imagination.” Imagination observed without identification creates the possibility for something higher. This process of regularly tending one’s thoughts and actions offers a perception of the moment where the lower self diminishes and a space is created for one's true self to emerge and flourish.
Fellowship of Friends is an esoteric school that helps people better their higher selves. It provides the tools, guidance, and a body of knowledge necessary for increasing consciousness and living more in the present. Fellowship of Friends is also an active supporter of charitable institutions in California, including the DOHIF Alcouffe Center. The Alcouffe Center in Oregon House, California, is a project of the Dobbins-Oregon House Improvement Foundation (DOHIF). It is run entirely by community volunteers, and funded through donations. This 10,000 square foot community center has activities for families and people of all ages, and offers a venue for groups and meetings of all types. The Alcouffe Center routinely hosts community events such as Tractor Days, a springtime outing that will be held May 7 and 8 in 2017. Families can learn more about vintage farming practices at special exhibits, see restored antique tractors, enjoy tractor rides, and taste a wide range of food and drink. Children can drive pedal tractors, ride ponies, or play on the large straw pyramid.
The spiritual center of the Fellowship of Friends organization is Apollo, which features an award-winning winery, among other amenities. Fellowship of Friends members have transformed the 1,200-acre property in Oregon House, California, located in the Sierra Nevada foothills, into an international community and are committed to supporting local programs such as the Alcouffe Community Center.Affiliated with the nonprofit Dobbins-Oregon House Improvement Foundation, whose mission is to promote community education and activities, the Alcouffe Community Center relies on charitable donations, minimal use fees, and fundraising efforts to cover operational costs and further its goal of serving the Oregon House community.The center offers a variety of community events and activities, including an annual crab feed and family movie nights, in addition to hosting a number of club meetings, including the Cub and Boy scouts. The community center’s most recent achievement is the construction of the Floyd R. Douthit Memorial Park, which contains a Little League baseball field, a playground, and a picnic area.
