October 24, 2008

 Milarepa Center

1344 US Route 5 South
Barnet, Vermont 05821
802.633.4136

www.milarepacenter.org
milarepa@milarepacenter.org

Affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT)


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Coming Events!
Please call, e-mail or see
our website for info!

Nyung Ne Purification Retreat
(this weekend! Oct. 24-27)

Meditation Daylong
(Sun., Nov. 9, 10:00am-4:00pm)

New Year's Vajrasattva Retreat
(December 29 - January 1)

Winter Warming Music Night
(February, 2009)

Four Noble Truths and General Introduction to Buddhism
(Tuesday eves, 7:00-8:30pm)

Meditation Daylong

Sunday, November 9, 10am - 4pm


Come sit with us for periods
of silent and guided meditations. 

A question-and-answer period will be included
as well as some time to work on developing concentration. 

Perfectly appropriate for beginners. 
Lunch provided.

Please call (802.633.4136) or e-mail us at Milarepa@milarepacenter.org
to register so we may plan lunch.

Thank you!

Putting Out Fires!

A message from the new
director of Milarepa Center:

During my first day as the new director of Milarepa, the fire inspector came out to check if our facilities were up to code.  They had last visited prior to 1994!

Fortunately, a number of the things that they
had asked us to do long ago were in place, however three major things now have to be
upgraded at a cost to the center of $3,630.55.

        The first is the wood stove in the dining room needs to have a
        metal plate installed beneath and around it along with a top coating
        of cement.  The cost of the materials for this was $198.00 with labor
        donated by Larry Howe.

       The second is the ladder serving as a fire escape from the
       second floor dormitory needs to be replaced (see photo, above right). 
       The fire inspector was less than enamored with this sort of system! 
       So a proper wooden stair needs to be built.  Through the help of
       Larry Bienemann, builders Bill and Kevin Cole have offered their
       time to build these steps, but the materials will cost $632.55.

       Finally, the most staggering expense is from having to hard-wire
       five battery-operated smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. 
       Due to the old wiring system in the house, this is extremely expensive
       and has to be done by a licensed electrician.   However, we want to
       do this to ensure our guests' safety.  The cost: $2,800.

The deadline for completing this work is November 2, but we are getting a one-month extension. 

These expenses were a really exciting part of my first day as director of Milarepa!  More seriously, however, we urgently need your help.  Again, the total cost to the center is $3,630.55. 

Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution at this time to help us cover these expenses.  I am aware of the difficult economic times we are all experiencing, however, generosity is one of the fundamental practices in Buddhism.

"Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression.
We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous.
We experience joy in the actual act of giving something.
And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given."
-- the Buddha

Donations may be made through PayPal by visiting our website www.MilarepaCenter.org or by sending a check made payable to Milarepa Center and mailing to us at Milarepa Center, 1344 US Route 5 South, Barnet, VT 05821.  Please designate on your check that it is for "Fire Upgrades."

We greatly appreciate your help at this time to enable us to "put out
the fire" of these additional unexpected expenses.  

Thank you so much.

Amy Miller, Director

Thursday Nights in Montpelier . . .. .

Karma: What Goes Around Comes Around

Our four-week "Montpelier Study Group on Karma" got started
last night with Ven. Amy Miller teaching all you've ever
wanted to know about karma.  Drop-in's are welcome. 

The address is is 28 Wheelock Street. 
For more information please call Donna O'Malley at 802.223.5863. 

Course dates: October 23, 30, November 6, 13.

OUR  AUTUMN  WORK  PARTY

On Saturday, October 18 Milarepa Center hosted
an enthusiastic wood stacking party. 
Thank you to everyone who showed-up
to help us get ready for winter!!

 
Wait, there's more . . . .


REJOICE, REJOICE, REJOICE!

Thank you so much to the following individuals for their huge support during the past few weeks:

:: All of our donors and members;

:: Dick Herbert for file cabinet and secretarial chair;

:: Chenrezig Project's Mark Winwood for designing and  sending out
    our lovely e-mail updates;

:: Larry Howe for brining our wood stove up to code;

:: Larry Bienemann and Andrea Patten for coordinating and joining
   our recent autumn work party;

:: All work party participants for your great enthusiasm stacking wood,
    washing windows and lending help in many areas of winter preparation
    and to make our center shine;

:: Martha Tack for precious food preparation during the recent
   Nyung Ne retreat;

:: Bill and Kevin Cole for building new fire escape steps;

:: Jeana Malachowski and Pascale Philbert for flyer design.



WISH LIST

While we are cleaning and clearing clutter, we respectfully request that you not bring anything that is not on the list without checking with us first and, like all families and organizations, we always need cash to operate.  Your gift in any amount is greatly appreciated.  To make a donation, plesse see the details above under "Putting Out Fires!"

Goods
:: 4-wheel-drive truck or tractor in good working condition
:: used snowmobile in good working condition
:: long-range portable phone with at least 2-3 phones;

Volunteers
:: for housekeeping, cooking, general maintenance and computer help.


THANK YOU for all your help and support, we hope to see you
for our upcoming practice day and/or our New Year's Vajrasattva Retreat.  Details are on our website.

www.milarepacenter.org