Debbie Croft: A starting point for change in Mariposa

Lately Mariposa residents have shared a growing concern for their community. Issues range from natural disaster response to economic stability to methods of sustainable living. Add to this equation California’s drought and the rural community’s homeless population.

Solutions reveal themselves in myriad ways, but it usually takes one or two motivated individuals to generate the ideas and workforce necessary to make any real changes.

In 2005, Kevin Bowman decided to create an organization to address these issues. The Chrysalis Institute is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation located in Mariposa County.

With the belief that meeting global needs is best accomplished within the context of local involvement, three projects are under way: KRYZ radio; the Yosemite Music Festival, formerly the Carter Ranch Music Festival (to give exposure to local talent); and the Mariposa Football Club, a youth soccer league.

Bowman also started experimenting with papercrete, a building material made of recycled paper and cement. It is fireproof, lightweight, inexpensive and, in his words, incredibly strong.

“We have put on papercrete how-to demonstrations, and we built a guest house,” he says.

He and friends helped construct a triple-jump run made out of papercrete at Mariposa’s high school.

Bowman continues, “In addition we sponsored the New Era Alliance group that hosts the Ever Better Community Conference.”

Last month 100 to 130 people attended this event. It provided an opportunity for networking with individuals having the same concerns, desires and skills.

In 2012, Patrick Scott Edwards came up with the idea for a local FM radio station. He proposed it to the institute’s board of directors, and the idea was unanimously approved. Then Bowman was tasked to make it happen.

“Not knowing anything about radio, let alone how to start one, I dug in and learned all I could,” he says.

In the meantime, Bowman contacted his friend, the late Tom Pimentel, and together they put together an Internet radio station, KRYSRadio.org. Using Internet radio allowed them to learn the many aspects of radio, including broadcasting and how to create prerecorded shows.

“Once word spread about a local radio station starting, people got interested in fundraising and creating their own shows,” he continues. “With the help of volunteers we’re also building an administrative infrastructure.”

The organization’s goals are to inform, educate, entertain and involve community members. Members hope to provide a forum for discussing local issues, for local musicians to get air play, to create local theater radio shows, and for interviews with regional groups and personalities.

Underwriters and sponsors are also needed.

“Right now we have about 40 volunteers with a core group of about 15, but we are always looking for more,” Bowman says. “So far the response has been incredible.”

His plan is to be on the air with KRYZ-FM by this summer.

Studio space was located recently in town with Offline Solar.

“We found out it’s the same space that was used 20 years ago for a former local radio station,” he says.

The organization sees radio as being a participatory experience, as well as a listening experience, by involving the community. Bowman wants the radio project to be the community’s radio station. He and the group also want to provide listeners with fire alerts and information about homeless shelters, food banks and job training opportunities.

Members of the Chrysalis Institute are tired of watching the breakdown of American systems – educational, economic, social and political. They believe, through local-sustainability and a shift of perspective they can create something positive and sustainable through educational venues such as the arts, permaculture, alternative building practices, organic farming, stronger recycling efforts, alternative energy (solar, wind and biofuels), alternative healing modalities, water reuse/capture, respect for the land and local resources, and responsible resource usage.

To learn more about these projects, visit www.krysradio.org and www.thechrysalisinstitute.org.

And at High Country Health Food Store today, folks will be celebrating Earth Day with food, music, kid-friendly fun, tree-planting, raffle prizes, demonstrations and more. Bowman will be there with KRYS/KRYZ Radio. Visit High Country’s Facebook page for details.

This story was originally published April 17, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Debbie Croft: A starting point for change in Mariposa."