Merit Makers

Thanks go out this week to our moving and painting crew! You guys made our restrooms and office colorful and beautiful. Dwight Clark, Elise and David Strevel, Joan Lacey, Amanda Henry, Link Freedom, Chris and Ben Rinehart, Brian Gilbert, Christine Wiecek, and Chris Baranski did a mixture of moving furniture, patching walls, wiring and painting. We all appreciate your work and look forward to the rest of the Center coming alive with color!

Thanks go out this week to Arlene VanRyckeghem. She will be stepping down as bookstore manager and we thank her for her valiant effort in making the bookstore a success! A puja will be held in her honor at Kopan Monestary with this dedication:

"For the dedication and offering of service by Arlene VanRyckeghem as Bookstore Manager at Kadampa Center. May the blessings Arlene has brought to the Center survive and spread for eons to come and may all the seeds planted in the minds of all who have shopped in our store for books or gifts ripen in the future enlightenment of all beings. Thank you Arlene for your kind service."

Thanks go out this week to Anna and Jean Peppard for their frequent offering of kindness to our Center. They show up during the week to sweep, tidy up, water and trim the plants. Often they come early/stay late for classes to fill and/or empty the water bowls, getting Sangha drinks always asking "How can we help?" Anna and Jean are beautiful examples of serving our Teachers and Gurus by happily offering their time with smiles and devotion to the Center.

Thanks go out this week to a new visitor Pagan Reid, who ran into our Grounds Manager while visiting our stupa. She was excited to hear about grounds day and she and her friend were the only volunteers to dig and plant in our gardens last Saturday. Thank you guys for beautifying our gardens as your first effort for our Center!

Thanks go out this week to Gary Mickey and Diane Meyer who have been Front Desk helpers lately. Answering the phone, greeting visitors and working in the bookstore helps our Center Manager have more solid focused time. Thanks Gary and Diane for being the face of the Center in happy, joyful ways!

Thanks go out this week to Steve Hale. If you noticed our front entrance tidy and clean, not only does Steve frequently sweep, this week he brought us new matts for inside and out! Thank you for always making our entrance clean and welcoming by your efforts. It blesses us and our precious teachers.

Thanks go out this week to our new Kitchen Manager, Kristen Jerger. Wow, our kitchen was so clean and tidy Sunday and the volunteers and staff thank you for your effort. Not only was it joyful, it was full of joyful singing. You are an added delight to our Center. Thank you Kristen!

Thanks go out this week to Miranda Benson for volunteering as a new bookstore clerk and helping out the middle schoolers who are making malas for Kadampa Center Prison Project. Thanks Miranda for your joyful effort in working happily for our Center! (BTW, we need one more bookstore clerk. The next merit maker could be about you!)

Thanks go out this week to Scott Miller. For many years now Scott has organized the All Star Mowing Team for the Center. Without a hitch, team members have signed up, mowed, trimmed and groomed our lawn for many years. We all thank you Scott for making this direction of our Center life easy and beautiful. Welcome Scott Dickerson as the new leader!