January 2018 newsletter

Thank you all again for your valuable input at the All Sangha meeting in December. The Board and some volunteers have been diligently working to respond to requests from the meeting. And we are actively discussing and evaluating the remaining suggestions. Sooo, there are some exciting changes afoot as we joyfully welcome 2018! 

Practice Opportunities
We are adding another opportunity to sit together as a group. Cindy Sasso has graciously offered to lead a weekly sit on Thursdays from 7-7:30am. So here are our current weekly sits:
Sundays, 6-7pm (rotating sit leader)
Tuesdays, 12-12:30pm (Denise)
Thursdays, 7-7:30am (Cindy)
 
Introductory Meditation Classes
We have introductory meditation classes beginning this week and more to come in March.  Please go to the Salida Sangha website on the Practice and Retreats page for details and registration or 
CLICK HERE
Sunday Tea - 1st Sunday of the Month
Sunday tea will resume on the 1st Sunday of each month beginning on Sunday, February 4th.  Tea follows Sunday Sit and begins at approximately 7pm. Please come, even if you can't make it to the sit! This is a great opportunity to visit with other Sangha members.

Calendar and Website
We are working to have the calendar and website up-to-date and reflective of the Sangha activities and events!  We are grateful to Sangha Member, Kevin Wathen, for stepping up with his fabulous skills to be our web guy.  Jane Whitmer will be the Board contact person for all things techy.  So, if you have any questions about or additions for the website, please contact her via our Sangha email with the subject Tech Support.

Prayer Wheel
As many of you know, we raised enough funds to purchase the prayer wheel shown below.  It is currently in the Sangha House, where it will live until the ground thaws and we are able to put a cement foundation in the ground for it.  Please come visit, write some prayers, place them in the wheels, and spin the prayer wheels!

​Spring Non-Residential Retreat with Brian Lesage
Our Spring Non-Residential Retreat will be held on May 19 & 20 at Meadowrock Ranch in Nathrop. Registration will open in February.  But we wanted to remind you, so you can save the date.  
 
Board Changes and New Bookkeeper
We first want to thank Cindy Sasso for her years of dedication serving as Board Treasurer and bookkeeper!  And, we have gratefully accepted Christine Myer's offer to volunteer to provide bookkeeping services to the Sangha. She is a CPA and the wife of Mark Dosdall.  She will work directly with Elizabeth Ritchie, who will now serve as Sangha Treasurer. 
 
Mindfulness in the Jail
We should find out no later than January 29th if the Mindfulness in the Jail program was awarded the grant that they applied for to ensure the sustainability of the program.


Dana and Pledges
Your financial generosity over the past year allowed us as a Sangha to meet our expenses for 2017. And as you know, Dana makes the Sangha go round. Dana in the form of volunteer efforts - sit leading, house cleaning, snow shoveling and financial contributions. Let's make this another great year at the Sangha!
If you would like to offer financial dana - either as a one time donation or as an ongoing monthly pledge, please go to the homepage of our website and click on the DONATE button.
 
And if you would like to volunteer, please check out the great opportunities at the Sangha House!

 
Our deepest blessings to you all,
Your sangha board