https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/home daily 1.0 2025-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/7648c5c7-324c-4879-8c4d-55b5489aeed0/40436510-69C3-4C4F-8312-E14C8609B6AF.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/0b3e7cca-7ed7-45d2-bbcb-b37504570c89/4BF6151C-BE5B-4FA8-8FE5-2B396A280991.jpg Home - Support Our Work Please make a pledge of time, financial support or skill to Friends of South Family, Inc. by clicking the button below or by mailing your donations to: PO Box 534 New Lebanon, NY 12125 We thank you! Friends of South Family, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/location daily 0.75 2022-10-30 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/book-a-class daily 0.75 2022-06-23 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/contact-us-1 daily 0.75 2022-11-22 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/a-continued-vision daily 0.75 2023-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/644997a5-2bf5-4b31-b0c4-d1a5dfc23ffa/3E49CE65-0622-4CA9-A5D0-01E7063668F7.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/51be30ec-af38-4f24-9f1c-b1be2c9586ce/6AE17566-F1A0-4A2B-B37F-B3E8267F7A34.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/47473275-c173-4549-a678-8dd768f7a39b/4E588FFB-E4CC-4FFD-9979-33A28B3162CE.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/97af0edf-8120-4057-bcce-724fbe5afd2d/3EA0670F-3427-44BC-9EA1-DA00AA2A4632.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/2bc3f435-44bb-4805-a351-2bfd7240fa5b/E39361D3-3059-439E-A4C2-9BBE8EFC1E5B.jpeg https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/new-page-1 daily 0.75 2022-07-05 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/a-proposal-made-by-fsf-board-president-whitney-scott daily 0.75 2022-07-05 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/a-letter-from-arifa-goodman daily 0.75 2022-07-06 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/a-letter-from-devi-and-sarmad-tide daily 0.75 2022-07-06 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/a-collaborative-blessing-for-the-abode daily 0.75 2022-07-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/0e30db56-1d68-4ab2-ac1c-f68563fbfd4c/4225C2E6-84B2-471F-ABAE-53B77F029774.jpeg A Collaborative Blessing for the Abode https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/new-page-3 daily 0.75 2022-08-07 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/new-page-4 daily 0.75 2022-07-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/cb5abcda-13c4-4956-a7a5-62dc2056338c/728EE821-522B-45C9-9F9B-625D797903BA.jpeg https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/a-letter-from-gabriel-steadman daily 0.75 2022-07-26 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/new-page daily 0.75 2022-08-07 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/new-page-11 daily 0.75 2022-08-30 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/messages-from-the-board-of-directors-copy daily 0.75 2023-06-17 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/contact-us-copy daily 0.75 2022-09-14 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/support-20 daily 0.75 2023-07-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/c89c87dc-ed19-44d2-86e6-c60f83ec9409/D8A53C07-12DF-458A-A3BD-6577BBF84CD9.jpeg https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/our-board-of-directors-copy daily 0.75 2022-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/5f0de743-6dee-4a12-b95d-225d04a732f0/88E8F2DD-6EC8-497D-BCD1-CB8485340C95.jpeg Our Board of Directors (Copy) - Whitney Scott - President Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/eeeaa910-a35c-48de-b834-0a905df7c6be/1CC77955-AF7B-4F6B-824C-F55E519A9504.jpg Our Board of Directors (Copy) - Kimberly Martel - Vice President Kimberly is a knowledge and user interface consultant. She supports online spaces for Fortune 500 companies with an eye to elemental forces of nature as a palate. This work was preceded by her many years as a weaver and production designer in the interior decorating trade, as well as a property manager. Deep immersion in the natural landscape has been her primary inspiration, especially her earliest memories of childhood at the Abode of the Message in the 1970’s. She has always had a great calling to be in service at the Abode and she has spent many decades involved in the local community. Her first involvement was as a 5 year old at “Sufi Camp” in the 1970’s. She worked for Abode Programs at age 19, driving arriving retreatants up and down to the Mountain camp. She spent time as member of maintenance and housekeeping for the Abode buildings in her 20’s. In her 30’s she created PR campaigns for Abode Programs, refreshed common spaces and lived as a resident for several years with her own family. Her oldest three children were part of the first home school program at Flying Deer Nature Center. Later in life she turned to service as a healing representative to the New England Area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/d0e62138-d767-429a-8ba3-a08b3d9ed6c5/7616F1FF-D432-4B22-8B11-F9ACE7914A48.jpeg Our Board of Directors (Copy) - Al Bellenchia - Secretary Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/784a21da-6097-4210-9ecb-db080b2f7dc6/A2F8F02E-35F9-4276-A27B-0A5097FC3571.png Our Board of Directors (Copy) - Christopher A. H. Steadman, Esq. - Treasurer Christopher Steadman first came to the Abode when he was in college, taking a temporary leave of absence to explore Sufism. Once there he was assigned to the building crew and learned the trade of carpentry working on Shaker buildings under the tutelage of a long line of Abode Sufi carpenters. He there met his wife, who had been in residence since 1976, and who built the her own house on the Abode property. A daughter, Sarah Noor, was born to them in 1991, and was blessed on Mt. Lebanon by Pir and Taj. She attended Mountain Rd. School and is now one of the Abode farmers. Fourteen years after taking a leave of absence to come to the Abode, Christopher retuned to school ultimately obtaining his J.D. and has been a member of the NYS Bar since being admitted in 2000. In addition, he has contributed 38 years of service to the New Lebanon community as a volunteer fire fighter, upholding a long standing Abode tradition. In 2015 he became a member of the Abode Steering Committee when the the Sufi Order decided to move to Richmond, VA. Thereafter he was a member of the Abode Board of Directors serving as co-chair, chair and treasurer until dismissed by the Inayati Order in May of 2022. A steadfast supporter and devoted lover of the Abode, and all it is, was and will be, he could not sit idly by while Pir Vilayat’s inspiration and legacy, and the work of so many Abodians and friends of the Abode, was put up for sale, and helped to start Friends of South Family, Inc. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/22b9be7c-e77a-4b01-8906-24cfbb006cca/AA2C09F4-0E34-409C-9970-65CEA9B1096E.jpg Our Board of Directors (Copy) - Blair Davis Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/cc2ac227-7a93-4627-b2cd-40e1b5435afc/7AA52324-AC0C-490A-9CCB-0108951050DF.jpg Our Board of Directors (Copy) - Aimée Brodeur Johnson Aimée came to the Abode in 1988 to live and to work at Mountain Road School. During the intervening years she married and raised a family at the Abode, serving on many committees as well as the boards of both Mountain Road School and the Abode of the Message. The Dances of Universal Peace and the unity of religious ideals led her to the Sufi Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan (and thus to Pir Vilayat and on to the Abode), where she serves as a Cheraga in the Universal Worship. She retired from Mountain Road School in 2013 and enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, gardening, and doing volunteer work for the Abode, the New Lebanon Historical Society, and the New Lebanon Library. https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/services-1 daily 0.75 2022-10-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg Services 1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694583486-2PQT0LQ193RL7MCB6DX4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg Services 1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694644871-IC85FNH781UNZSZEGHDR/Aro+Ha_0428.jpg Services 1 https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/newsletters-to-our-community daily 0.75 2023-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/76a438bd-28f8-4276-bea3-3f14ebb08a3a/1622B571-B7B8-4701-840A-AD83A95362F3.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/1778eef6-17c4-4e14-9e84-4001cb5c8e7a/861CA31C-053A-465A-8C8C-5E07869892F9.jpeg Newsletter Collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/c0e9b77e-51ae-4e5c-ab2f-dd6fd5c21d40/CFDE2D20-F3E7-4FBB-B416-3434BD15FB74.jpeg Newsletter Collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/ea0208c0-3430-446a-9a93-c300e5f41b56/31134EE1-38D1-4132-ADFC-174CE05B0AB5.jpeg Newsletter Collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/619bd95b-627e-441b-9f40-8a1edfc17a3b/B57209F0-A4DA-4A61-9387-8E91252F77AE.jpeg Newsletter Collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/7813cba0-b97c-42ec-a2a5-0713e0bda372/04D23EEF-A395-4C93-85C6-703066A927A9.jpeg Newsletter Collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6283ae896a94f038e80eae05/c1a0ec68-775a-42a8-bf35-5722d27db3ac/D232AFF9-6EFC-40A6-84A0-DDB32E4B5CB0.jpeg Newsletter Collection https://friendsofsouthfamily.org/general-3 daily 0.75 2023-06-27