Catherine Bell
The Spark:
Warmth, Hospitality & The Magic of Belonging
Why It Matters Here:
Catherine Bell and Good Witch helped spark the feeling behind DeLauer House—the idea that a home can become more than a place people visit. It can feel warm, welcoming, a little magical, and full of moments that bring people together.
I'm not trying to recreate a television story. I want to carry forward something it awakened in me: the belief that a place can make people feel something—and sometimes, feeling like you belong can change everything.
Catherine Lagaʻaia
THE SPARK
Heritage, Courage & Believing in Who You Are
WHY IT MATTERS HERE
Catherine Lagaʻaia represents the courage of a young woman stepping into an enormous opportunity while remaining proud of who she is and where she comes from.
This inspiration is especially personal to me. My youngest child—and only daughter—is growing up in a world full of voices that will try to tell her who she should be. My hope is that she grows up believing fiercely in herself, honoring who she is, and knowing she is capable of stepping into spaces that may once have seemed impossibly big.
The courage to believe she belongs before the world gives her permission to.
Ron Finley
The Spark:
Growing Food & Empowering Community
Why It Matters Here:
Ron Finley showed what can happen when someone looks at an overlooked patch of ground and sees possibility. His community gardening work represents independence, creativity, food access and the power people have to transform the places where they live.
That's a spark we want throughout DeLauer House:
Don't just wait for something beautiful to grow. Plant it.
Temple Grandin
The Spark:
Animals & Different Ways of Thinking
Why It Matters Here:
Temple Grandin's work with animals and her advocacy around different ways of thinking remind me of something essential: different does not mean less.
People learn differently. People communicate differently. People notice different things. Animals experience their environments in ways humans often fail to consider.
At DeLauer House, we want curiosity to replace assumptions. Sometimes a different way of seeing the world is exactly what the world needs.
Alice Waters
The Spark:
Food, Growing & Hands-On Education
Why It Matters Here:
Alice Waters helped demonstrate that gardens and kitchens can become classrooms. Growing something, preparing it and sharing it around a table can teach lessons that extend far beyond food.
This reflects an important part of the DeLauer House philosophy: education doesn't have to happen only behind a desk.
I want people to learn with their hands, their senses, one another and the world around them.
Robin Wall Kimmerer
The Spark:
Nature, Plants & Reciprocity
Why It Matters Here:
Robin Wall Kimmerer's work reminds me that nature isn't simply something surrounding us—it is something we are in relationship with. Her blending of botany, ecological knowledge and Indigenous teachings offers a beautiful example of learning from the natural world with gratitude and reciprocity.
At DeLauer House, we want gardens, plants, land and nature to become teachers too. We don't only want to ask what the Earth can give us. We want to teach people to ask what we can give back.
Georgette Seabrooke Powell
The Spark:
Art, Expression & Community
Why It Matters Here:
Georgette Seabrooke Powell's work as an artist, educator and pioneer in art therapy represents the extraordinary ability of creativity to give people another language.
Sometimes what is difficult to explain can be painted, shaped, built, danced, sung or created.
At DeLauer House, art won't be decoration around the community. Creativity will be one of the ways the community communicates.
Nirel Salazar
The Spark:
Yoga, Rest & Accessible Wellness
Why It Matters Here:
Nirel Salazar's approach to restorative yoga and community-centered wellness reminds us that rest, movement and reflection shouldn't feel exclusive or intimidating.
At DeLauer House, wellness isn't about perfection, performance or becoming someone else. It's about giving people opportunities to slow down, reconnect with themselves, move, breathe, learn and discover what genuinely supports them.
Sometimes growth means moving forward. Sometimes it means becoming still enough to hear yourself again.
EIGHT PEOPLE. EIGHT SPARKS. ONE LIVING VISION.
Catherine Bell. Catherine Lagaʻaia. Robin Wall Kimmerer. Temple Grandin. Alice Waters. Ron Finley. Georgette Seabrooke Powell. Nirel Salazar.
These eight visionaries remind us that the sparks of inspiration are not merely ideas to be admired, but living values to be practiced. At DeLauer House, we strive to weave these threads into the fabric of our community, creating a sanctuary where every guest can find their own rhythm, connect with the earth, and rediscover their inner creative force. Our vision is a living one, fueled by the courage to heal and the hospitality that makes every soul feel truly at home.
The Journey Begins
Generations Ago
The DeLauer family story reaches back through generations, carrying with it names, memories, and experiences that shaped our sense of home, hospitality, and belonging.
Through the Generations
Across the years, family tables, shared meals, and quiet acts of care have woven a legacy of connection, resilience, and welcome — the spirit that now lives at the heart of DeLauer House.
Today
Today, DeLauer House and HTC — Healing Through Community grow from this family story into a vision for a place where many people can gather, heal, and feel that they belong.