Letter from FCSMC Director, Pam Turner

Open Letter to the Fort Collins Shambhala Community:

Most of you have received the notice that as of October 1, 2013, I will complete my tenure as Director of the Fort Collins Shambhala Center.  It has been my pleasure to serve our community!

This letter is to invite you to please join me at our Harvest of Peace Celebration and Community Potluck on Sunday, September 22 at 3:30pm, when I will take the official retirement oath.  During the Harvest of Peace Community Celebration, we will hear a recorded talk by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and welcome new members who have joined within the last year. We will review the successes of the last four and a half years as well as some ideas about sustaining the health and vibrancy of our Center in the years to come.

As we move into Fall, the various landscapes around us reach a crescendo.  The light is intense and the colors vibrant, especially the yellows and greens before leaves begin to drop, and the magical blue of the Colorado sky.  We are trying to get in the last warm hike, bike ride, or the last Farmers Markets.  Similarly, as I am entering my last month as Director of our Center, there are a few things left to accomplish.

You have all noticed many more new people coming to learn to meditate and to take classes at our Center. We offer many more programs, participate in more regional events, and hold larger celebrations and diverse activities such as book groups and Dharma Art. This year we have offered over $7,000 through our Generosity Policy to individuals for programs at our Center and purchased a large LCD television to offer online classes and videos.

The local community is the sole support of our center. We receive no support to keep our Center functioning, except from you, our members and volunteers.  The operating costs of our Center are over $4,000 per month, including rent, utilities and insurance.  We have no paid employees. We also contribute a percentage of our program income to support the Shambhala International services that include curriculum development and the staff of the Sakyong.  That percentage needs to increase so that we can support the development of more services, especially for Practice and Education. It would also be wonderful for all of us to pledge a small percentage to Shambhala Mountain Center, without which we could not participate in retreats and longer programs.

To sustain our Center and continue to grow, we are holding a membership drive, beginning at the Harvest of Peace Celebration, our traditional annual fundraising event. Although our membership is increasing, the average monthly contribution per member is approximately $35, the same as it was in 2007.  Therefore, one focus of this effort will be to increase the monthly contribution of individuals and families, specifically in the form of Sustaining Membership support of $108 or more per month.  We aspire to increase our average monthly individual contribution to $50 per month.

Please consider contributing now in any way that inspires you.  My suggestions are:

  • Become a Member through monthly donations, using PayPal, checking account withdrawal, or any other way you prefer.  Membership Details Here
  • Increase your monthly contribution through the above methods.
  • Make a one time donation. Any amount is welcome. Click HERE
  • Become a Sustaining Member by joining those who pledge $108 or more per month.
  • Become active by volunteering in so many ways at our center!

The following link will give you some membership options [Click HERE, then select “YES” at ” I would like to pay monthly dues online.]  If you have questions or comments, please feel free call or email me.

Again, it has been a pleasure to serve you all.  I am part of a team of dedicated people whom I love and trust.  My own service to Shambhala and to our Center will continue on another trajectory.

Envisioning a culture of kindness,


Pam Turner,

Director, Fort Collins Shambhala Meditation Center
[email protected]