Merit Makers

Every week, there are seen and unseen heroes that help keep Kadampa Center running.
Here are just a few!

Light of the Path Volunteers

We could not begin to undertake an event as huge as a four-week retreat without many, many hands joining in the work. We truly see that we are a community when dozens of us offer our help, in big ways and small, every single stitch an essential part of the tapestry that is the Light of the Path. We are so grateful to have shared this journey with so many people who planned, worked the retreat, helped to pack and truck and clean and buy and sort the items used. We rejoice in the merit we have collected together!

KC Home Team

Thank you to our teachers, program assistants, volunteers and all of you who helped keep Kadampa Center running smoothly while many of us were away during LOP. How wonderful to know that everyone is so willing to help to keep our Kadampa family thriving! Great job!

Christy Batts and the Family Camp team

Thanks go out to Christy Batts and her amazing crew of volunteers for Family Camp! This years camp was held at LOP and was a huge success. Christy designed a packed filled weekend of fun and memory making events such as a long visit with Rinpoche and an animal blessing where Rinpoche taught and circumambulated while chanting with the children. Everyone had a beautiful weekend. Thank you Christy and crew for all your hard heartfelt effort!

Elise Strevel and Diane Meyer

Thanks go out this week to Elise Stevel and Diane Meyer for dreaming up and managing the Love Notes Project. Also, thank you to the many, many loving folks for writing sweet notes! We have sent out over 1000 letters from the heart to Seniors in the Meals for Wheels program. This is an ongoing successful project. Thanks Diane and Elise!

LOP Packers

Thanks go out this week to all the people who helped pack boxes and trucks for LOP. It was a daunting task and took lots of time and energy. Your passion and desire for the retreat to run smoothly warms our hearts. We want you to know you are greatly appreciated for your perseverance!

Linda Saah, Susan Potter and Becca Zuvich

Thanks go out this week to Linda Saah, Susan Potter and Becca Zuvich. With Linda at the helm, this amazing team handled everything to do with Lama Zopa Rinpoche's visit. There was much planning and work involved that was done with loving, joyful effort. Thanks guys, you are greatly appreciated!

Teams Extraordinaire!

Thank you to the team of cleaners, gardeners, Lama Atisha statue fillers and LOP packers that made Saturday a merit packed day of joyful effort. We enjoyed a wonderful time together and accomplished so much! It's wonderful to see people come out and help the Center supporting the wishes of our teachers. Thank you guys!

Josh Britt, Jacob Gibbs, Joey Gooch, Venerable Choekyi, Venerable Tenzin, Venerable Kelsing, Gen. Norbu and Patrick McGinity

Thanks go out this week to Josh Britt, Jacob Gibbs, Joey Gooch, Venerable Choekyi, Tenzin, Kelsing, Gen Norbu and Patrick McGinity for helping with the unpacking of the Lama Atisha Statue. There was a lot of effort and muscle used to getting our beautiful statue in place in the lobby. We thank you for taking the break in your busy week to help Geshe-la for this momentus occasion.

Ria Verma and Miranda Benson

Thanks go out this week to Ria Verma (Enloe student doing volunteer time) and Miranda Benson who did hours and hours of dharma sorting; separating holy images, dharma to burn and recycling. Next they will make prayers and manage the dharma burn. Thanks to the teens for reducing our pile of dharma sorting and making our office more spacious!

Lee Clark

This week we thank Lee Clark for logging in every single item from the 'Tip of a Wish' Aspiration Tree. During our 25th Anniversary Gala, we asked folks to make a wish for the Kadampa Center for the next 25 years. Lee endured the heat to gather and log in each wish you all made and they are now printed out in a lovely format and will be placed on our altar. We thank Lee for her happy mind and sweet effort to turn our wishes into an offering. Thank you Lee!

Dwight Clark

This week we thank Dwight Clark for his early morning garden care. As an unofficial Serenity Gardener, he saw a need and every morning he deadheads, trims and gives general love to our grounds all the while playing mantras. Our gardens appreciate you Dwight as do all the two and four legged beings that enjoy the summer beauty. Thank you!

Karl Brown

Thanks go out this week to Karl Brown for his amazing kind effort in clearing away the obstacles to drainage on our roof! Karl spent half a day in the heat cleaning our gutters and ground drains then checking to see everything is in clear working order. This was a big messy job and we are grateful to you Karl!

Serenity Gardeners

Thanks go out to our Serenity Gardeners this week. Joey Gooch led Julie Lewis, Patrick McGinity and Tim Mulhern in projects to help and beautify our grounds. They planted new shade plants around the stupa, upgraded our watering system and also began cleaning out the shed. If you would like to become a Serenity Gardener, and help out at your own convenience, email here.
Thanks guys for making our grounds so welcoming and lovely!

Blood Drive folks

Wow! An amazing group of shining bodhisattvas combined their efforts Thursday to give blood from their own bodies for the benefit of others. Nearly 50 people from our community, plus the nurses and organizers from the Red Cross gave their skills, their blood and/or their time to make it happen. Special thanks to Joan Lacey for coordinating it all. For this incredible gift of compassion, offered in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday, we rejoice whole-heartedly and dedicate to His long, happy healthy life!

Heather Sanderson

Thanks go out this week to Heather Sanderson for volunteering her amazing talents as co-coordinator for the 25th Anniversary Gala. Navigating the landscape of planning, communicating and managing volunteers, she helped produce an elegant, lovely event for all of us to enjoy. Heather's keen management and sweet disposition made work on the gala seem like a breeze. Thank you Heather!

25th Anniversary Gala Volunteers

The 25th Anniversary is over and it was a huge success because of the hours of devotion of many dedicated volunteers. In the fear of missing one name among the multitude, we thank you all in unison from the bottom of our hearts for your generous, joyful effort! You made a wonderful impression on our guests, new comers and devoted members. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Trish Coffey, Elise Strevel and Sherri Harmon

Cleaning day had sparse attendance yet 3 dynamos showed up to spend their Saturday morning making your Center clean and shiny. Thanks go out to Trish Coffey for leading and cleaning with Elise Strevel our amazing window washer and Sherri Harmon whose joyful effort is example to us all. We appreciate you Trish, Elise and Sherri for loving our Center and hope you enjoyed the pizza!

David Strevel

Thanks go out this week to David Strevel for his joyful effort in helping retrieve our exciting new merchandise from Kopan Monastery for our bookstore. While navigating obstacles via the shipping company and customs office, David was happy to do all that it took to acquire the goods. Thanks for applying one of the six perfections so everyone will have happy shopping David!

Ven. Choekyi, Denise Flora, Catherine Deverter, Ashlee Williams and Arlene van Ryckeghem

Kadampa Center has hosted many wonderful events - teachings, initiations, creating the stupa, welcoming and blessing statues. In the flurry of doing all this, we haven't always kept a record of where we've been and what we've done. Several volunteers have been digging in our various archives -- old emails, newsletters and calendars -- to recover essential events and create a cohesive timeline. The work is ongoing, and we give our thanks now to Ven. Choekyi, Denise Flora, Catherine Deverter, Ashlee Williams and Arlene van Ryckeghem for all their hard work!

Sandy Carlson, Patti Pandya, Suzanne Weigand, Noland Thuss and Min Oz

Our spring retreat at Noland’s farm was delightful! Many thanks to the volunteers who helped make it a success: Sandy Carlson and Patti Pandya, who offered sangha care, Suzanne Weigand, who offered logistical support, Noland and his husband Min, who offered their farm and provided meals, and of course all who attended — in interdependence, there is no retreat without retreat participants!

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