Thanks to the Coaldale members for storing the Butsudan and to those who came out to move it and photograph this historic occasion.

As of last month, our Fundraising Committee announced that our donations and pledges had passed the one million dollar mark. This is an amazing milestone. On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to thank to each of you who have committed to this fund, and to the Fundraising Committee. We still need donations so if you are planning to and have not yet done so please do so. Our Fundraising and Building Committees are now working on the final details of the donor wall so there is still time.

The new temple will be ready to occupy early in January and our hope is to hold Hoonko in the new temple on January 11, 2009. Before that we will be looking for help to move into the new building. The Program and Operations Committee is organizing Tobans that will look after the temple and are organizing how everything should be done. The co-chairs of the P&O committee are Lorita Ichikawa and Pat Sassa. They are doing a terrific job of getting everything organized so that the move will be smooth.

The coming year will be one for the history books for the BTSA as we move into the new building. There are still many unknowns and lots of challenges facing us, but we have proven in the last year that our members have the strength and courage to see these through. On behalf of the BTSA Board of Directors please accept our best wishes in the New Year.

David Major
President, Buddhist Temple of Southern Alberta
January 2009