RISING PHOENIX LEGACY

A clearer path
forward.

October 10, 2026 · Community Update 03

Dear friends,

This has been an extraordinary week.

What began as a simple effort to remember Margee Iddings and the remarkable place she created has grown into a community preservation effort. People are reconnecting, sharing memories, offering suggestions, and helping us explore whether Rising Phoenix might have another chapter.

We now have a clearer understanding of what it will take to make that possible.

What we learned from Allegany County

On Friday, October 9, I met with Ashli Workman, Allegany County’s Director of Tourism, and Jeffrey Barclay, Director of Economic & Community Development.

They were generous with their time and willing to consider our preservation proposal.

The conversation helped establish that county acquisition is not a practical option under the present circumstances. The approaching auction, available funding, and the complications of preserving a religious mission under government ownership present significant obstacles.

However, they offered to help share the opportunity with contacts who might be interested in acquiring or operating the property.

I am grateful for their openness and willingness to help make connections.

Our next priority is clear: finding an individual, established nonprofit, faith-based organization, or other qualified buyer capable of acquiring Rising Phoenix and sustaining its future, or bringing together enough financial support to make a credible preservation bid ourselves, with an appropriate ownership and stewardship structure in place.

Encouraging new connections

We have also begun contacting organizations experienced in operating retreat centers, preserving meaningful properties, and helping people rebuild their lives.

One encouraging response came from Katie McCarthy Evenbeck, CEO of United Camps, Conferences & Retreats, who welcomed an opportunity to discuss our efforts.

This is not an agreement or commitment, but it is a meaningful conversation worth pursuing.

We also have a meeting scheduled with USDA Rural Development on Thursday, October 15, to explore whether any relevant programs or resources might be available.

Meanwhile, Karen Custer, who knew Margee and her work, continues to share valuable insight and connections. Her memories have helped shape a preservation vision that honors not simply the buildings, but the extraordinary spirit of hospitality and compassion that made Rising Phoenix special.

COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PLEDGES

Help carry Margee’s
legacy forward.

We are gathering nonbinding financial pledges from people and organizations who may be willing to contribute if a viable acquisition and stewardship plan can be established.

By collecting pledges seven days before the scheduled auction close, we hope to understand the potential level of community support and share that information with qualified prospective owners—or determine whether sufficient support could make a community-led preservation bid possible.

No money is being collected. A pledge is not a donation and creates no obligation to pay.

We have deliberately avoided setting an arbitrary fundraising target. We want to learn what support is genuinely possible rather than suggest that any particular amount guarantees the property can be saved.

Before any future donations are requested, we would need a clearly identified owner or acquiring organization, an appropriate financial and legal structure, and a transparent explanation of how funds would be handled.

Every expression of potential support helps us understand what might be possible.

Someone to carry the mission forward

Financial pledges are only one part of the answer. Rising Phoenix needs a capable owner or organization with the resources and experience to make the property sustainable.

Our working vision includes restoring the retreat as a place for reflection, hospitality, spiritual renewal, and healing; preserving Margee’s story through a living memorial; and exploring opportunities to support women rebuilding their lives.

This vision remains a proposal, not an established operating program. We are open to thoughtful alternatives that preserve the essential spirit of what Margee created.

How you can help right now

• Make a nonbinding pledge by October 20 if you might be willing to provide financial support.
• Introduce a potential buyer or partner. We especially welcome connections to retreat organizations, churches, nonprofits, foundations, and individuals able to acquire and sustain the property.
• Share this message. Connections to local radio, newspapers, Presbyterian communities, women’s ministries, and organizations supporting people returning from incarceration may be particularly valuable.
• Share your memories of Margee. Her story deserves to be remembered regardless of what happens at the auction.

With so little time remaining, even one meaningful introduction could make a difference.

A personal word

Standing at Rising Phoenix with my children last weekend, I was struck by how much of Margee’s presence still seems to remain in the place.

The buildings, the grounds, the chapel, and the peaceful surroundings all speak to something that was created with extraordinary care.

But I have come to understand that the most important legacy isn’t the property itself.

It is the lives touched there, the people welcomed there, and the belief that everyone deserves compassion, dignity, and the possibility of a new beginning.

Whether or not we succeed in preserving Rising Phoenix, that story deserves to continue.

I remain hopeful that the right people may yet come together.

Thank you for being part of this effort.

With gratitude and hope,
Adam
Rising Phoenix Legacy Preservation Effort

Visit Rising Phoenix Legacy

Please do not reply directly to this newsletter. For memories, ideas, and offers of help, visit the website. Private introductions: contact@risingphoenixlegacy.org.

Rising Phoenix Legacy is an independent community preservation effort. No acquisition, funding, or operating partnership has been secured. Pledges are nonbinding; no money is being collected. *Auction closing is scheduled for October 27, 2026, subject to extension rules.

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