Pegi Hayashi Uyeyama
Thank you to the members of the Kelowna Buddhist Temple for extending my term of President for another year. It has been an honour to serve you, our ancestors and our Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in this position for the last year and it will be an honour to continue for another term.
We are very fortunate to have such a hard-working Sangha and Minister here in Kelowna. Many members of the community, even those not of the Buddhist faith, have helped us for so many years. Thank you to everyone for participating in our services, activities and fund-raising projects. If it were not for such help, we would not be such a thriving part of this community.
These days everyone is busy and money is tight, however it is essential to our existence for people to donate at least a small part of their time and money to our Temple. The cost of maintaining this facility is continually increasing and it is difficult to keep our income ahead of our expenses. With this in mind, our Board of Directors is constantly trying to think of new, more profitable while less manpower-intensive fund-raising projects. Any suggestions?
We are also working hard to maintain all equipment in the Temple as inexpensively as possible, while attempting to lengthen their period of productivity. Our Temple building is also aging and requires constant repairs and upgrades. Any professional assistance or advice would be greatly appreciated.
With everyone’s busy schedule, it is hard to take the time to stop, look and listen, in order to be see all around us. The teachings of the Buddha help us to appreciate the beauty and interconnection of all beings and find peace in this hectic life.
We look forward to seeing all of you at our temple. Let us welcome you to our Sangha. May you find friendship and a sense of belonging in our Buddhist community.
In Gassho
Pegi Hayashi Uyeyama
President, Kelowna Buddhist Temple