Dear Friends,
Every once in a while, a dazzling act of generosity comes our way when we need it most. It leaves us grateful, humbled, and delighted that we share this world with such benevolent souls.
Buckle up, friends. We're thrilled to share a wonderful tale that blossomed out of a recent retreat.
 A first-timer to the Ranch, Jim Price, came to our July 2024 Mindful Unplug program. He dropped into the experience of safe community and life-affirming practices that are the hallmarks of Ranch summer life. As we came to know more about him, we learned that only a little over
two years earlier in April 2022, Jim's wife, the love of his life and a dedicated and widely respected holistic healer in California — Lisa Wong (aka Lisa Price) — passed away following six heroic years working to conquer
ovarian cancer.
Through Jim’s words and the look in his eyes when he speaks of his beloved Lisa, everything we’ve learned about her is that she’s someone we wish we had known. Her loved ones describe her as a unicorn. Beautiful and unique in every way. She looked out for other people, quietly, never looking for praise. She was a vibrant, generous, intelligent, and deeply loving wife, daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. Do your heart a favor and learn more about Lisa and her remarkable life
story here.
Vroom Vroom . . . Groan-Sputter-Rattle
 As the retreat week was wrapping up, our trusty old passenger transport van, which had seen better days and was becoming a worrisome money pit, developed another in a series of costly problems. We had just had the air conditioning fixed (again!) but now the transmission was
just about kaput.
Jim had noticed the van’s deteriorating state, and had just been dropped off at the airport with the van by his longtime friend, our ebullient Ranch Operations Director Diana Bowers, when the transmission pooped out.
The cost to repair was going to take a hefty chunk out of our tight budget. Getting a new van would involve taking money from this to pay for that. Still, we cannot operate without a reliable transport van to safely and comfortably shuttle our cherished guests to and from the airport or take them on day excursions. For the most part, we've been able to keep it running with routine maintenance and beating the well-worn path made by its tire tracks to the Helena repair shop to
fix or replace the latest thing that went wrong. We are also pretty good at applying a healthy dose of prayer, duct tape, Gorilla Glue, and bailing wire as needed.
In sussing out our options, Diana mentioned to Crystal that Jim loved shopping for vehicles. Crystal reached out to Jim to let him know the bad news about the van and see if he would be interested in helping to look for a vehicle and/or possibly help to defray at least some of the steep cost of securing a reliable set of wheels. His response was, “That blows!! But the AC never did.” He added, “Of course I'll help.”
And? His thoughts went to Lisa.
Metta Rolls In
 Drawing from the Lisa Wong Legacy Fund launched after her passing, Jim arranged to cover the full cost of a brand spanking new, fully equipped, snazzy Ford van for the Feathered Pipe Foundation.
Wow.
But wait. There's more. On returning home to California from the retreat, Jim dove into the patience-stretching work of contacting Los Angeles area dealerships to find exactly the right van for the Feathered Pipe Ranch. In our view, anyone who willingly navigates the world of car dealerships on someone else’s behalf qualifies for at least probationary sainthood.
While he was busy with business travel to Canada, two fine fellows from the dealership Jim selected, Bobby and José, arranged for the shiny new van that Jim picked to be tastefully embellished with decals of our choice. Diana had the idea to add a unique dash of fun with the Feathered Pipe logo on one side, a rendering of our Dandelion Effect logo on the other, and our iconic stained glass image of the Ranch on the back window. And, through a collective effort and in honor of Lisa, the van was
dubbed, and decal’d with, the "Metta Magic" (aka Metta Lisa) moniker. Metta is a Pali word which translates to loving kindness or goodwill.
Wait. There’s still more. Jim personally drove the new van over 1300 miles for two days from Fontana (CA) to Montana, parking it at the Ranch in a spot — embellished with a garden hose fashioned into a welcoming heart shape — readied for him next to the dining hall. He was, as you’d expect, greeted with the hero’s welcome he deserved, complete with M&Ms (for Metta Magic), Martinelli’s, and music. Plus hugs
and staff smiles so wide that everyone’s faces ached!
And, even more. He brought the Ranch crew artisanal chocolates from a French chocolatier in California and he gave us lessons on how to operate all the technology in the van.
Jim insists that credit for this overwhelming act of generosity flow to his beloved Lisa (and mentioned his relief at being spared redirecting his vehicle buying affection away from shopping for a Porsche). It’s a four-wheeled manifestation of her legacy of giving to others.
 We thank Jim from every corner of our hearts. A large, unanticipated expense in the middle of a busy season could have knocked us off balance. But it didn’t, all because of actions on behalf of a place where he’d only spent seven days. We bow extra long and deep to the
spirit of selfless largesse that filled Lisa Wong's big heart and has rippled extraordinary, and timely, Metta Magic in Feathered Pipe’s direction.
This isn’t the first time that a generous act has spared us from calamity in the nick of time, but it’s the first time such an act included side-curtain airbags and intelligent all-wheel drive.
Sometimes love shows up with wheels.
With gratitude and full hearts,
The Feathered Pipe Family
P.S. Want to help pay it forward? The goal of the Lisa Wong Legacy Fund is to continue to do what Lisa did best: recognize potential, support those working hard to achieve their dreams, and give deserving individuals a helping hand toward the next phase of their lives. Lisa was fiercely committed to supporting local youth through The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme
(BGCOP). We invite you to honor Lisa, and by extension help us to thank Jim, by making a donation to BGCOP to help make a difference in the lives of countless children.
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