Submitted by Elizabeth Trudell, Palo Alto Regional Councilor & Treasurer
It was a busy period with Ramadan and two Subud congresses. During Ramadan, members of the group met during two of the nights of power for latihan and to watch Bapak videos.
At least 16 members from Palo Alto attended the World Congress in Puebla. A potluck gathering, held at the Clark home on August 23rd to share reactions and information about the World Congress, was attended by more than 40 members from the Palo Alto, Berkeley, Santa Cruz and other centers. There were discussions about Congress events including the Conversation Cafe on the Future of Subud, the new hall built by the Washington Center, the Success and the Subud Experience Panels and many more.
Several Palo Alto members attended the Regional Congress in Joshua Tree over Labor Day weekend, enjoying fellowship and latihan with members from California and beyond. The Regional Councilor’s meeting held during the Congress focused on the needs of the centers and options for improving the financial health of the region.
Changes to Members, Helpers and Committee
- Lianne Card and Kenneth Clark have become National Helpers.
- Irena Olendar has completed her term as Regional helper and returned as a local helper
- Irina Selvaretnam has become a helper candidate for the Center.
The committee continues to operate without a chair. The dewan meets monthly to discuss issues and needs, and many members give their time and oversight to maintain the structure and grounds. This supportive structure has allowed the group to manage effectively with a small committee.
Finances and Maintenance
Revenue from rentals continues to be solid, and the mortgage was retired in April. Our Dewan decided to increase the monthly pledge to Subud CA after retiring the mortgage, and added the MR&R fund. We hope to continue to grow this over the next few years to provide a resource for major structural maintenance which may be needed in the future.
We have recently learned that the roof of our building needs repair, and are seeking bids for repair or replacement prior to the winter rainy season.
Some new renters have joined the community in the last few months, including one that has committed to a weekly slot for most of 2015. We are beginning to reach capacity for the rental times available in the hall. Rental revenue continues to be vital to our financial health, although managing the renter requires time and attention.