Dear friend,

 

You may have seen a recent message on Sangha-Announce from President Reoch and Connie Brock regarding the financial situations facing Shambhala Mountain Center and Shambhala Europe. During the recent Shambhala Europe Council meeting in Cologne on 16-18 October, I reported that Shambhala Europe’s cash situation is one that needs immediate and significant support–in fact around 60.000 Euros–in order to place us on stable financial ground and avoid going into debt by the end of the year. The reasons for this  situation are complex and influenced partly by the global financial crisis as well as the fact that Shambhala Day donations last February were less than half of what we received the previous year – a situation which we had neither expected nor budgeted for.  Taking a longer view, Shambhala Europe needs to grow to support our mission of spreading Great Eastern Sun vision. This growth will bring more revenue dues but will also require stable personnel and resources to both bring about and to handle that growth.

 

To address the current fiscal situation, 20.000 Euros were raised for Shambhala Europe at fundraising events held at Dechen Chöling this summer. This was a great first step. Over five months this year staffing and salaries were also reduced at Shambhala Europe in order to cut costs. This helped for the short-term. To ensure the financial viability and strength of Shambhala in Europe over time; however, we need to make structural changes in the area of finance, primarily, including personnel, procedures, and software. We have been relying for many years on very experienced but non-paid individuals to manage our money, but an organization of our size really needs stable, professional, financial guidance, and that needs to be budgeted for.



This is an image of a Ratna. The ratna is a reminder of the aspiration of the Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche for Shambhala to have its own currency. The ratna implies not only the importance of money but the need to employ people who can skillfully and compassionately relate to  and work with money in our sangha.

 

OUR PROPOSAL

Last month, the Shambhala Europe Council met in Cologne and recommended additional steps we could take to put us back on stable financial ground and able to provide strong services again to the sangha. These included 1) additional fundraising to the rest of the European sangha; 2) paying for a half-time Finance Director, and 3) revising financial procedures and tools to better manage and plan the finances of our growing operation.

 

In line with the Council’s first recommendation, today we are launching a one-year campaign  and we are asking for your immediate help.


We are asking each member to make a special donation of 50 Euros today to support Shambhala Europe.


If you can give more, that will be even more helpful! If you do not have 50 Euros to spare, we’d like to ask you to think of creative ways that you could magnetize that amount. For example, make a collection, have a yard sale, bring your lunch to work for a week, sell lemonade…whatever you can do.  Whatever amount, as close to 50 Euros, you can send will be extremely helpful and appreciated. And if you already made a significant donation over the summer at one of the Dechen Chöling events, thank you again, you’ve already helped!

 

Please see the bottom of this letter for information on how to send your donation.

 

I have tried to keep this letter short and direct because we know how much mail everyone receives these days. I deeply appreciate your past generosity and your ongoing devotion to Shambhala! I promise to do everything in my power to ensure the survival, growth, and prosperity of Shambhala in Europe and beyond.

 

With warm regards,

Chris Montone, Director
and the Shambhala Europe Team – Sabine, Saskia, Christine, Tessa, Thomas, Bernard, and Leif

 

P.S.  Please also note that this request is not replacing our usual Shambhala Day fundraising, since funds raised  on Shambhala Day also benefit Dechen Chöling. We hope you will be able to generously support us and DCL on Shambhala Day as well.

 

 

___________________How to Make Your Donation______________________

 

From Germany:

Shambhala Vajradhatu GmbH, Kartäuserwall 20, 50678 Cologne, Germany

Kölner Bank, Im Ferkulum 4, 50517 Köln

Acc. 535 586 004; BLZ 371 600 87

Required Note:  Donation

 

From The Netherlands:

Shambhala Centrum Amsterdam

Account No.: 212 498 037

Required Note:  Shambhala Europe Donation

 

From countries other than Germany and The Netherlands:

Shambhala Vajradhatu GmbH, Kartäuserwall 20, 50678 Cologne, Germany

Kölner Bank, Im Ferkulum 4, 50517 Köln
IBAN: DE87 3716 0087 0535 5860 04; SWIFT: GENODED1CGN

Required Note:  Donation 

 

For other donation options, please visit our “Donation” webpage.