Milarepa Center annual appeal 2020

Dear Friend of Milarepa Center,

Greetings, we hope this finds you safe, happy, and healthy. First and foremost, we want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who have offered your support in the past; we truly couldn't do this without you. We are continually grateful for the community that we are blessed with here at Milarepa, it is absolutely amazing! While we are all working through great difficulties in the world right now, the kindness of others is alive and well here at Milarepa Center and is a source of great inspiration; for that, we thank you from the depths of our hearts, it is a truly priceless gift.

This past year has brought not only challenges to Milarepa Center, but many blessings as well. It has been difficult having to postpone all of our programs and we are surely missing having our dharma family together here at the center. However, we are very fortunate to have proper retreat facilities that allow us to continue to host students for private retreats during these challenging times, a time when it seems to be needed the most! Even though Covid-19 has caused the cancellation of all of our public programs for 2020 and perhaps beyond, it has also created a wonderful opportunity for us to dive deeper into fulfilling Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wishes for Milarepa Center to be a place where students can come to study and conduct private retreat. We have hosted many students for retreat during this past year and there are many more scheduled to come, we rejoice!

Not being able to host public programs and group retreats has also opened up a bit of time and space for us to take care of some much needed repairs and maintenance issues; it is so rewarding to care for a place that has become a “home away from home” for so many. Most recently, we have repaired a corner of the main building that was suffering structural rot, installed solar LED lights around our stupa, replaced some of the rotted windows, and upgraded to a safer heating option for our main dining area. We were able to do some of these projects due to grants that we had applied for and received and a few project specific donations. We are 100% committed to improving our environmental impacts in addition to our commitment to the overall care and sustainability of Milarepa Center. In the coming year we hope to continue with necessary repairs and improvements to the center, as we are able. As Milarepa himself said, “Hasten slowly, and soon you shall arrive”!

While we have been fortunate to make up for a small portion of our financial losses this year through grants, loans, and other means of assistance offered for the impacts of Covid-19, in order to sustain a sound financial basis for 2021 and beyond we still need our Annual Appeal. We understand that so many are experiencing great financial losses this year and ask that you give what you can and feel comfortable giving. Our goal this year is to raise $12,000 by the end of 2020. Can you help us achieve this goal? Every little bit helps and we are truly grateful for any contribution you can make. Donations can be made online here: milarepacenter.org/donation or by check made payable to Milarepa Center.

Our sincere and deep heartfelt thanks and we hope to be able to see you in the coming year. May all beings be happy and healthy and free from suffering!

Sincerely,
Dawn Holtz, Center Director

Board of Directors:
Venerable Namgyal, Board Chair
Merry Colony, Board Secretary
Denice Macy, Board Treasurer, FPMT Appointee
Debra Thornburg, Board Member, FPMT Appointee
Debb Colony, Board Member