The Little Hill Foundation

Alina Lodge and High Watch Farm have a long, rich history which links both organizations through the life journey of a woman named Ina Rudolph Trevis.   

Prior to the outbreak of World War II, Ina and her husband lived in Holland.  Ina suspected that her physician brother was a Nazi sympathizer.  Ina, however, became a member of the German underground. Using her own identification papers and those papers she had stolen from her brother, Ina assisted German scientists and professionals to flee Nazi Germany.  She risked her life portraying a flirting drunk who disarmed and diverted the attention of the border guards.  When she strongly suspected that her own brother would soon turn her in to the Nazi authorities, Ina and her husband fled. 

When Ina and her husband eventually immigrated to the United States, Ina’s alcoholism, which had been a ruse to aid the escape of others, had become a reality.  After her husband’s death, her disease progressed rapidly.  Many of the same psychiatrists, psychologists and physicians Ina had helped to freedom tried to help her in her addiction.  Through joining Alcoholics Anonymous, Ina gained the sobriety.  Alcoholics Anonymous gave her the conviction that she wanted to help other sick alcoholics gain sobriety.

Ina had become acquainted with an English nurse who owned land in Kent, Connecticut.  Sister Frances wished to have this property used for spiritual purposes.  Ina and her friends urged Sister Frances to utilize the land to help alcoholics because they believed that only through spirituality did alcoholics achieve lasting recovery.  The land in Connecticut became High Watch Farms, the first non-profit retreat for alcoholics.  Ina spent many months at High Watch which strengthened her resolve to dedicate the rest of her life to helping alcoholics to recover.

Ina left High Watch and came to New Jersey.  She secured a job at Ailanthus Hall in Parsippany.  Ailanthus was a small residential home  for the purpose of detoxifying alcoholics.  Working at Ailanthus Hall made Ina even more determined to establish a place of her own where alcoholics could recover.  She contacted a friend named Al Silverman and persuaded Al to support her cause and her dream.

Al Silverman and Ina Trevis established a facility in Kenvil, New Jersey.  Al and Ina called the place Alina Lodge.  Despite sparse help and little money, Alina Lodge, during its eight years of operation, helped many alcoholics find the road to recovery.  

Eventually, Ina turned her thoughts and energy to starting a retreat-like center in New Jersey similar to High Watch Farm.  She began looking for a location and found property in Hardwick Township outside of Blairstown named Little Hill.  The property was a non-working farm with a house that had been built in the Pre-Revolutionary war period and used during the Civil War as a part of the underground railroad.   There was, however, a major problem.  Ina did not have the financial resources to purchase the property.  

Through Ailanthus and Alcoholics Anonymous, Ina had made several good friends.  These included Tom and Geraldine Delaney.  Ina had been assured that she could obtain a mortgage quickly.  On that basis, Tom and Geraldine advanced $50,000 of their own money to close the deal at Little Hill.  The Delaney loan was on the promise that the money would be paid back in full as soon as the mortgage loan came through.  The purchase was finalized.  The second Alina Lodge opened in August of 1957  but with a new name:  Little Hill-Alina Lodge. 

When Little Hill-Alina Lodge opened, it accommodated four or five people in residence for a few weeks in residence.  Unknown to even her closest friends, Ina had a serious heart problem.  Ina feared that if people knew of this medical condition, they would not assist her with her project.  Ina hoped to establish a corporation with a board of trustees who would raise money and support her project financially, who would advise and assist operationally and who would volunteer their time while Ina ran the facility.  Ina expressed a desire to will the property to the non-profit foundation that would be established.  Her will was drawn to effectuate her plan.  On December 11, 1959, the will was to be finalized but Ina did not appear for the signing.  She was found dead of a heart attack on the second floor of the historic Stone House.  It was left to Ina’s friends to carry on her dream.