Heartwood Host Guidelines |
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Membership Team
Revised 11/17/23
General Parameters
What is a Heartwood Host? A Heartwood Host helps make arrangements for visitors who come to Heartwood for a tour, overnight, meal, etc. Any resident member — renter or homeowner, new member or old-timer — may be a Heartwood Host. The job of a Heartwood Host is to make visitors feel welcome, to answer questions about living here, and to give an impression of Heartwood that is real and honest. Hosting visitors is one of the best ways we market Heartwood for potential future residents, as well as giving people a chance to learn about and experience cohousing.
Who are the visitors? Visitors usually fall into one of a few categories: those interested in Heartwood for future membership; those visiting from other cohousing communities; or those wanting to start their own cohousing or intentional community. They may come for an hour or may want to spend a night or two. Heartwood Hosts are NOT responsible for personal guests (friends or family) of other members.
Here’s How It Works
How do you know if you have visitors? Ashley is the initial contact person for Heartwood. When she is contacted by a visitor, she finds out the time frame of the visit and makes reservations in the online calendar. She will provide you with the visitor’s name, the dates of their visit, and their contact information. She will also give the visitor your name and contact information as their Heartwood Host.
What are your responsibilities?
1. Make contact with the visitor before they arrive. Inform them of HW events (meals, meetings, etc) that are scheduled during their visit. Find out why they’re visiting and what they hope to experience during their visit. Help them arrange logistics — sign them up for meals; put them in touch with other members they may be interested in connecting with, if appropriate. Refer the visitors to our website (www.heartwoodcohousing.com) for more information about Heartwood and/or other local and regional links. Give the visitors directions to Heartwood, and arrange to meet them when they arrive or let them know how/when to find you after they get here.
2. Prepare the guest room, if they are staying overnight. Make sure the sheets and towels are clean, trash empty, floor vacuumed, etc. Make sure the bathroom is clean. When they arrive, help them get oriented to the Common House and guest room. Give them a donation envelope for the $50 per night suggested donation for the room. Ask them to pay one of the cooks for their common meals ($7 per adult, $4 per child). Let them know they can use the kitchen for food storage/preparation, (ask them to put their name on items in the refrigerator, and remove all food when they leave). Show them how to do their personal laundry in the CH laundry room, and ask them to add the money for laundry ($1 each for a washer or dryer load) to their donation. Ask them to strip their beds, put dirty sheets and towels in the laundry hamper in the guest room, and put clean sheets on the beds before they leave.
3. Give them a tour of Heartwood, introduce them to people, and give them suggestions of what to see or do while they are here. If appropriate, help them arrange to visit any available properties. If possible, accompany them to meals or other events they plan to attend. If they are interested in pursuing membership, refer them to the Path to Membership page of our website and/or put them in touch with Sandy or another Membership team member.
4. After they leave, make sure the room is ready for a new guest. Check that the guest room bedding is back on the bed(s). Launder the used sheets and towels within 48 hours (please use the CH laundry room and the CH detergent, but no bleach) and put them back in the appropriate guest room. Label donation money (name and date) and put it in the HOA mailbox. If the visitor is at all interested in HW membership, be in touch with the Membership team and make sure they have the visitor’s contact information, and any other pertinent information about their visit.
Revised 11/17/23
General Parameters
What is a Heartwood Host? A Heartwood Host helps make arrangements for visitors who come to Heartwood for a tour, overnight, meal, etc. Any resident member — renter or homeowner, new member or old-timer — may be a Heartwood Host. The job of a Heartwood Host is to make visitors feel welcome, to answer questions about living here, and to give an impression of Heartwood that is real and honest. Hosting visitors is one of the best ways we market Heartwood for potential future residents, as well as giving people a chance to learn about and experience cohousing.
Who are the visitors? Visitors usually fall into one of a few categories: those interested in Heartwood for future membership; those visiting from other cohousing communities; or those wanting to start their own cohousing or intentional community. They may come for an hour or may want to spend a night or two. Heartwood Hosts are NOT responsible for personal guests (friends or family) of other members.
Here’s How It Works
How do you know if you have visitors? Ashley is the initial contact person for Heartwood. When she is contacted by a visitor, she finds out the time frame of the visit and makes reservations in the online calendar. She will provide you with the visitor’s name, the dates of their visit, and their contact information. She will also give the visitor your name and contact information as their Heartwood Host.
What are your responsibilities?
1. Make contact with the visitor before they arrive. Inform them of HW events (meals, meetings, etc) that are scheduled during their visit. Find out why they’re visiting and what they hope to experience during their visit. Help them arrange logistics — sign them up for meals; put them in touch with other members they may be interested in connecting with, if appropriate. Refer the visitors to our website (www.heartwoodcohousing.com) for more information about Heartwood and/or other local and regional links. Give the visitors directions to Heartwood, and arrange to meet them when they arrive or let them know how/when to find you after they get here.
2. Prepare the guest room, if they are staying overnight. Make sure the sheets and towels are clean, trash empty, floor vacuumed, etc. Make sure the bathroom is clean. When they arrive, help them get oriented to the Common House and guest room. Give them a donation envelope for the $50 per night suggested donation for the room. Ask them to pay one of the cooks for their common meals ($7 per adult, $4 per child). Let them know they can use the kitchen for food storage/preparation, (ask them to put their name on items in the refrigerator, and remove all food when they leave). Show them how to do their personal laundry in the CH laundry room, and ask them to add the money for laundry ($1 each for a washer or dryer load) to their donation. Ask them to strip their beds, put dirty sheets and towels in the laundry hamper in the guest room, and put clean sheets on the beds before they leave.
3. Give them a tour of Heartwood, introduce them to people, and give them suggestions of what to see or do while they are here. If appropriate, help them arrange to visit any available properties. If possible, accompany them to meals or other events they plan to attend. If they are interested in pursuing membership, refer them to the Path to Membership page of our website and/or put them in touch with Sandy or another Membership team member.
4. After they leave, make sure the room is ready for a new guest. Check that the guest room bedding is back on the bed(s). Launder the used sheets and towels within 48 hours (please use the CH laundry room and the CH detergent, but no bleach) and put them back in the appropriate guest room. Label donation money (name and date) and put it in the HOA mailbox. If the visitor is at all interested in HW membership, be in touch with the Membership team and make sure they have the visitor’s contact information, and any other pertinent information about their visit.