SEQUIM — Nestled in a quiet neighborhood, the Harmony Center has been a hub for gatherings for several years, offering free space for organizers and participants.
Located at 223 Hudon Road in Sequim, the center hosts a diverse range of activities, including Bunco, Mahjong, book discussions, art classes, workshops, board meetings, music and dance practice, meditation, yoga and movie nights complete with pizza and popcorn.
Managed by Cassandra Cockrill and a five-member board of the nonprofit Joyful Harmony Unlimited, A Community for Peace, the center operates on the belief that fostering connections enhances individual and community well-being.
“For me, this is what peace is about,” Cockrill said. “Peace starts in my heart and in my home, and it flows from there. So what do I do to create peace for myself? What I find is, when I am living to my own standards and values and the things I respect in myself and other people, I have inner peace.”
She said qualities such as kindness, honesty, forgiveness and generosity are those that she aspires to every day, although, being human, “I don’t always hit the mark.” The center is her way of offering a place where those qualities can play out in the context of community connections.
The venue features a 20-space parking area, kitchen, bathroom, library and a spacious event room illuminated by windows and skylights. Groups have access to folding tables, chairs, a 70-inch television, Wi-Fi and storage, with the library serving as an overflow space.
The 1,500-square-foot center is part of a larger building that Cockrill and her husband Jeff split between their home and the community space. Inspired by a similar gathering center in Oakland, Calif., where Cockrill was a board member and activities manager, the center embraces a variety of unique activities, as long as leaders apply and meet basic guidelines.
“Part of my goal is to ensure everyone feels welcome,” said Cockrill, noting that the center is not a venue for political, commercial or religious activities.
Those interested can call 360-977-6060 or email cassandra@joyfulharmony.org.
Activity schedules are posted at harmonycentersequim.org, via newsletters (signup is available on the website), or through individual organizers.
While activities are free, donations are appreciated — either online or in the onsite donation box. Future fundraisers may support ongoing renovations and upkeep, and the space is available for limited paid private events to sustain operations.
Cockrill said now that she is retired, she plans to dedicate the rest of her life to the Harmony Center.
“We’re not going to travel around the world, we don’t need expensive cars,” she said. “What do we care about? We care about peace, we care about bringing people together and having them be kind to each other … just focus on the things you care about and be the best person you can be.”
Participants
Cyndi Hueth, who teaches American Mahjong on the first Monday of each month and also hosts weekly play sessions every Wednesday, said she has been utilizing the space almost since it opened. She said she first heard about it from the welcoming message Cockrill posted on the social media app Nextdoor.
Hueth and Cockrill said the Harmony Center’s reputation has mainly spread by word of mouth, with the number of people attending increasing each month.
Hueth said she loves the name and feels that “it’s appropriate. It reflects peace.”
She said great friendships have formed at the center and a contented feeling pervades the space during the hours people spend concentrating on the game of American Mahjong.
Bunco, said Char Reeves, who plays both it and Mahjong at the center, “doesn’t take much, not like Mahjong,” but “it’s a lot of fun.”
She said participants bring food for a potluck and everyone cleans up afterward.
Both games require specific ratios of people, so it is important to contact the center ahead of time about joining.
The space, Reeves said, is ideal for hosting.
“Cassandra makes it so nice,” she said.
Everything the groups need for setting up and enjoying meals together is available, she said, making hosting a breeze.
The women said the place is very welcoming to newcomers, including those who are shy or individuals who come alone at first.
“If you don’t have family here,” Reeves said, “it becomes like a second family.”
The center “is very easygoing,” she said. “There’s no catch, it’s very easy flowing, you ask for something, it’s given.
“It really feels like there is harmony here — it’s very soothing and peaceful.”
Reeves said that feeling starts with Cockrill. In organizations, she said, the dynamic is set by the leader, and Cockrill “has a heart of gold. She’s always cheerful and always welcoming.”
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Emily Matthiessen is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. She can be reached by email at emily.matthiessen@sequimgazette.com.
Emily Matthiessen/Olympic Peninsula News Group Cassandra Cockrill and her husband Jeff turned half their home into a separate event space, complete with kitchen and bathroom, for people to host free activities and events.
