A Peaceful Retreat Center
Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO) is a physical, mental and spiritual well-being retreat center nestled in the mountains overlooking the scenic Umpqua River Valley. Visitors from all over the world enjoy the peaceful environment, surrounded by nature, wildlife, fruit trees, wild flowers and organic gardens. This quiet setting in nature provides a supportive environment for retreats. Guests come individually, or in groups, staying for a few days, weeks, or longer.
We offer programs that focus on the teachings of Sant Baljit Singh Ji, like unity in diversity, service to humanity, compassion for all, a natural lifestyle, and devotion to the omnipresent God pervading all. Retreatants focus on these spiritual teachings alongside opportunities to participate in various charitable and service oriented activities, spend time in beautiful nature and learn new skills such as wholesome vegetarian cooking, organic gardening, landscaping, housekeeping and woodworking. Special activities and workshops are offered during the summers and holidays.
Lighthouse Center Oregon regularly partners with other charitable organizations, volunteering time and resources to help those in need. In our charity projects section below, we are pleased to share some stories of these wonderful collaborations. Since 2009, the center has operated Lighthouse Center Bakery and Café. Lighthouse Center Bakery is offering the facilities to Lighthouse Center Oregon volunteers to work with the community in a spirit of caring and sharing to donate bread, soup, food and supplies to people in need during these unprecedented times.
Keep doing good for humanity.
Keep loving humanity.
Keep serving humanity.
Be one with humanity.
Be of some use to humanity.
CHARITY PROJECTS
Actions that make a difference
When we serve humanity, we serve anyone and everyone.
Sant Baljit Singh Ji
Our charity and community service projects strive to serve others with kindness and compassion. We share food and other necessities with those in need and reach out to those who are suffering. Sometimes the simplicity of good wishes and a flower or a basket of food can gladden the heart of someone who is in pain.
September 2023: After severe thunderstorms triggered wildfires in the region in late August, more than a thousand firefighters were called to the area. Lighthouse Center Bakery (LCB) extended its opening hours to support the firefighters working hard to fight the wildfires in the area. From August 27, 2023, LCB opened daily from 11am to 7pm for the next two weeks. Lighthouse Center Oregon volunteers helped at LCB, serving free food and refreshments to the firefighters and all involved.
Two weeks later, the wildfires were brought under control and the emergency subsided. As things returned to normal, LCB went back to its regular days and hours. Acknowledging the firefighters’ commitment to protecting the community and the region, LCO volunteers and LCB have been at the service of the firefighters, welcoming them as guests. LCB will continue to serve free food and refreshments to the firefighters and all involved who are working hard to contain these wildfires. Read our blog post for the details: Serving firefighters battling wildfires in Umpqua.
Here is a sampling of our activities and events. We hope you enjoy browsing through our stories!
Donating plants to school garden project
LCO, April 2021 Earlier in the year, the gardening crew who volunteer at Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO) propagated many vegetable and flower starts. When the seedlings started to grow, it became apparent that there were too many for LCO to use. The gardening crew...
Sharing joy and good cheer with Peace Bread
LCO, December 2020 Every year, Lighthouse Center Bakery (LCB) and Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO) offer the Peace Bread Charity to welcome the holiday season. This charity project began in 2007 as a small holiday initiative to share joy and good cheer through caring...
Giving to those in need during Thanksgiving
LCO, November 2020 This Thanksgiving, Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO) availed another opportunity to collaborate with St. Francis Community Kitchen, a local charity in Sutherlin, Oregon. Twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, St. Francis Community Kitchen serves hot...
Oregon Wildfire Emergency Relief continues
LCO, September 2020 On learning about families who lost their homes to the the recent Archie Creek wildfire in Oregon, Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO) rallied to work with the Salvation Army to support the displaced families. We shared that story in our post Supporting...
Supporting Oregon Wildfire Emergency Relief
LCO, September 2020 Every summer, wildfires threaten the west coast of the United States. This summer, severe thunderstorms, strong, gusty winds and hot, dry terrains resulted in a series of record-breaking megafires that swept across California, Oregon, and...
LCO shares nature’s fresh produce
LCO, September 2020 April through June was a very active time in the garden at Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO). This year we significantly expanded the variety of garden crops. We needed more areas for planting; but the main growing area had become overgrown with...
LCO continues Covid-19 charitable activities after LCB reopens
LCO, July 2020 Four months ago Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO) activated its Covid-19 charitable operations. Lighthouse Center Bakery (LCB) had decided to temporarily close as a precaution due to the pandemic. The bakery then offered the use of its facilities for LCO's...
Extending LCO Covid-19 charity network
LCO, May 2020 Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO) started its Covid-19 Charity Project by helping two food pantries and one soup kitchen in Roseburg. We shared that exciting journey in our post Donating to food pantries during Covid-19. LCO didn't stop there. Inspired by...
Appreciating Mercy Medical Center’s staff during Covid-19
LCO, April 2020 Lighthouse Center Oregon (LCO) contacted the Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Oregon, to offer support for their frontline medical staff who have been working hard during the Coivd-19 pandemic. Mercy Medical told us that they were planning a staff...
Life is all about caring and sharing. Love has to be there, and then you care. And when you care, then you share.
We must come forward to serve everyone. If everyone felt ready and willing to serve all others, then everyone would serve everyone. Everyone would be taken care of. No one would be deprived of anything, because when you serve, you give everything with love and affection; you do not hold anything back. If no one held anything back, then there would be no shortage of anything. Everyone would then enjoy because everything on this earth was created for our use.