The Creators
These are the initiators who held the vision and sparked the creation of LBS and the work being done here.
Alfonso Carlon
Proprietor, Co-FOunder,
& MANAGING PARTNER
Alfonso bought and cared for the property at Robin Road for many years before initiating its transformation into Lotus Bend Sanctuary in 2015. He went on to establish Lotus Bend Retreat & Development Center, LLC in 2017. It has always been his intention to provide a sacred space where individual facilitators and organizations can host events, and to host programs and offerings that uplift the community at large. He aspires to create a small onsite community of stewards for Lotus Bend Sanctuary.
Owner of Garden To Beautify, Inc., Alfonso is also a professional landscaper responsible for most of the landscaping and cultivated beauty on the grounds.
Russell von Ohlhausen
Co-Founder & Visoneer
Russell is a co-founder & visionary guide for Lotus Bend. He has helped steward the property & applied purposes to the land. Russ re-constructed the structures after 2 seperate floods. He pointed the way for much of what has been created at The Sanctuary, through many years of volunteering and servicing the needs of the land, the spaces & the people.
With Shannon Gill, he co-created The Shift, the independent non-profit, which established the volunteer efforts and facilitated the work at LBS. He also creates programs & teaches his own body of conscious-raising work, in science, math & spiritual convergence. vonohlhausen.org.
PREVIOUS CREATORS
Shannon Gill
Past Dir. of Programs
Shannon has been a driving force behind many communities and chose to help bring together & nurture the community at Lotus Bend. With her connections and myriad of people skills she helped create the first LBS events, ceremonies, workshops, dances and much more, which brought the life to the space. As well as bringing her own teachings, she has directed many of the offerings & facilitations at Lotus Bend. You can find her counselings and offerings at Shannon Lei Gill.
Stacy Wathen Sanchez
CO-FOUNDER
IN MEMORIUM
Stacy Wathen Sanchez (Nov 1969 to Jun 2016) played a crucial role in seeding the The Sanctuary. She aided the development of the structure of the business end. Stacy also loved to shape the outdoors at the space and spent many hours landscaping & engaging the wildlife.
Alfonso created ‘Stacy Pond’, the central koi pond, to honor her memory. Her presence and tenderness is always felt around the property.