Lost Valley Education Center Visitor Agreements

Life in an Education and Event Center 

• Practice non violence towards others through respectful action and speech.
• Proactively work to resolve conflicts and misunderstandings.
• Take responsibility for emotions, ideas, beliefs, and behaviors and their effects on others.
• Treat children with love and respect.
• Treat all plants, animals, and fungi with reverence and respect. Acknowledge the beings that we cannot see that are integral to the health of the land and thus our community and the planet.
• Respect Lost Valley’s buildings, common spaces, infrastructure, equipment, tools, supplies, bedding, etc., so that others may continue to use and benefit from them.
• Clean up after myself, children & pets, leaving things in better condition than I found them.
• Help maintain the health of residents and visitors by washing hands before meals as well as before each trip to the buffet table.

Use of Community Property (i.e. bikes, tools, cleaning equipment, etc.)

• Obtain permission before using any property of Lost Valley—and if doing so, will keep it in good working order, cleaning and returning it to the location it came from in the condition in which I borrowed it.
• Be proactive in compensating as asked for loss or damage of Lost Valley property if it is due to my negligence. 

Roads

• Observe a speed LIMIT of 7 MPH on Lost Valley driveways, and be aware that these are shared with pedestrians, bikes, garden carts, elders, children, ducks, chickens, and other occasional livestock.

Emergencies

• Drop whatever I am doing & come to the lodge immediately, if the “meal-time” bell is rung repeatedly.

Laundry Laundry facilities are located in the dorm bathhouse.

• Follow posted instructions for using the honor box, or QR code to pay for loads in washer and dryer.
• Clothes lines are available during summer months when rain is sparse.

Sustainability

• Compost:
  Sort food scraps into the appropriate compost bins—orange for items that can be fed to the chickens, white for all other items.
• Recycling:
  CLEAN and sort recyclables correctly into bins behind the kitchen, by paying attention to the signs!
• Toilets: 
  Wash my hands every time I use the toilet. 

Food and Community Kitchens

• If using a communal kitchen, be oriented first, remember that we are all sharing the space and clean up any dishes or other messes immediately. 
• Cook meat and fish in the Guest House or Outdoor Kitchens only, as all meat and fish must be kept out of the Lodge kitchen. I will NOT put meat scraps or dairy in the regular compost.

Phones

• Not use a cell phone in the Lodge, Sacred Yurt, Kitchen, or in other spaces when people are present who are not involved in my conversation.

Children

• My children or I will pick up toys and dishes we’ve used at the Lodge and on the property and put them away in agreed-upon places.
• Leave no bikes, wagons, or other toys on the pathways, as they create a potential hazard in the dark. Kids’ space in public areas will be left in relative order after my children have been playing there.
• Quiet time during meals is 45 minutes starting when the meal starts.
• Not use loud voices, running, roughhousing, or utilizing the toy vehicles by me or my dependents during this time.

Quiet Hours

• Be quiet during campus quiet hours which are between 10pm to 7am every day of the week. 

Sauna

• Sauna may be used by community residents or guests, with prior permission and wood stove use instructions.
• Not take any glass bottles into the sauna.
• Not overheat the stove.
• Water may be poured on the rocks on the stove to make steam. 

Alcohol and Criminalized Drug Use

• Not use alcohol in shared/common spaces, except during gatherings where it has been approved by the Community Petal. We do not allow criminalized drug use on the property.

Tobacco

• Not smoke inside any Lost Valley property or facilities, or anywhere on the property except at the basketball court.
• Dispose of tobacco waste in the proper containers, and I will not toss any waste on the bare ground (lit or otherwise).

Marijuana 

• Although marijuana is now legal in Oregon, Lost Valley maintains its own policy regarding areas where marijuana may be used. Marijuana may be smoked only in the designated smoking zone at the basketball court, or in private spaces (such as cabins, apartments, or personal dorm rooms) in such a way that others are not exposed to secondhand smoke or otherwise affected or bothered by it. At Lost Valley, we agree that the air space of common areas (such as dorm hallways, libraries, lodge, outdoors, etc.) should not be impacted by marijuana smoke and any feedback that the odor of smoke from marijuana use is affecting someone else negatively must be honored and accompanied by better containment of such activity. We support each person’s right to breathe air free of tobacco or marijuana smoke (or odor) when in shared spaces at Lost Valley, with the exception of the designated smoking zone at the basketball court. 

Swearing

• We do not consider swearing appropriate behavior as an everyday language pattern, especially if done in an angry or threatening way. Choose appropriate language, especially in shared spaces.

Nonviolence

• We at Lost Valley are committed to a nonviolent way of life through our speech, thoughts, and actions. Violence to oneself, others, property, or the environment is responded to with Zero Tolerance. 

I also acknowledge that I (and my dependents included in this reservation) may be asked to evacuate the property immediately at any point at the discretion of the community and Lost Valley staff. 

I hereby affirm that I have been well advised of the inherent risks associated with visiting Lost Valley Educational Center (LVEC) rural base campsite. I understand those risks include, but are not limited to the risk of exposure to potentially poisonous plants, uneven and /or slippery walking surfaces, woodland fires, rattle snakes and other risks which may result in property damage, personal injury or even death. I understand that injuries can occur even if LVEC and others have taken all reasonable precautions. I further understand that due to the location of LVEC, medical treatment for such injuries could be delayed. 

I hereby personally assume all risks which may occur while at the LVEC for any harm, injury, illness (INCLUDING COVID-19 & ALL VARIANTS) death or damage that may befall me as a result of visiting the LVEC and/or participating in its activities, whether foreseen or unforeseen. I agree to adhere to Covid policies in effect during the duration of my visit. 

I agree that I will assume all responsibility for any injury, illness and/or damage and related costs, medical expenses and damages of any kind that I may incur arising out of or in any way related to visiting the LVEC and/or the activities it offers. I further agree that I hold the LVEC, their owners, officers, agents, managers, contractors, employees, volunteers and assigns free of any and all claims for liability, injury, illness, death, costs, medical bills, or other damages incurred by me or my family heirs or assigns no matter how caused, including damages, injuries, illness or death alleged to be partially or solely caused by the LVEC’s acts, omissions, commissions, carelessness or negligence. 

I expressly do not give up my rights and remedies that may be available to me under Oregon Law, which may arise due to the LVEC’s gross negligence and/or willful misconduct.

I understand that the LIABILITY & MEDIA RELEASE applies whether or not such injury, damage, or loss is in any way connected with participation in any activities offered by LVEC and whether such injuries result from my own negligent acts or from the acts of other participants. 

I further agree that in the event of any dispute whatsoever between me and LVEC concerning my visit to LVEC and/or my participation in any of its activities, I will first submit the matter to non-binding mediation before the American Arbitration Association (AAA) in Oregon. In addition, should LVEC and I fail to resolve our differences through mediation, I will submit any remaining dispute or claim to binding and final arbitration before AAA in Oregon. I further agree that this LIABILITY & MEDIA RELEASE is effective for all of my visits to LVEC and my participation in the activities it offers.

I choose to visit LVEC and participate in the activities it offers in spite of above-mentioned risks and possible delay of medical assistance. 

Media

I grant to LVEC, its representatives and employees the right to capture images, audio, video, photo or other media recordings of my person, property and activities in connection with the activities outlined in the LVEC course schedule

I agree that such media may be used by LVEC, with or without my name, for any lawful purpose, including, but not limited to such purposes as publicity, illustration, social media, and web content.

I also recognize that any media I capture, video, audio, or otherwise of residents their guests, other visitors, or  the property / facilities of Lost Valley may only be shared publicly with the express written permission of an authorized representative of Lost Valley Education Center.

A PDF hard copy may be made available upon request