1988 1989 1990 1991 The Vermont Zen Center is First Sesshin of the Ver- The Zen Cen- 480 Thomas Road. As established in what would mont Zen Center was held ter continues more people come to the 1992 have been the upstairs mas- in May: five days at the to grow. Some Center, it becomes clear ter bedroom of the Graef summer camp of the members that we need a larger Renovations and Dedication. house in Wright family on Lake travel to Costa space, especially for ses- We move in and begin reno- June 1988. Dunmore. 15 people at- Rica to attend shins. We receive a su- vations, giving us a huge new The Center tended, 12 full time. From sesshin, per-generous anonymous zendo which seats 21, three consists of left: Bob Rice, Jim Kahle, strengthening the ties be- donation which will en- bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and a zendo Dave Tisdell, Eric Neil, tween the two Sanghas. able us to make a down a kitchen. May 3: Dedication which can Randy Baker (monitor), There is increased atten- payment on a house. Af- of the new Vermont Zen Cen- seat 12 or Felicia Messuri, Kathy dance at ceremonies and ter searching for a year, a ter. First sesshins in new Zen so people. Clarke, David Meltzer, Car- sittings. Our first Vesak house is found down the Center. First work sesshin. The dokusan waiting line is roll Lepper, Earl Lepper, elephant is born. road from our zendo. the hallway outside the Silvia San Miguel. zendo. The dokusan “room” is an area in the living room between the couch and wood stove. Our first cere- mony is Bodhidharma Day in October.

1994 1995 1993 Roshi Kapleau The three Sanghas begin visits the Cen- traveling to sesshins in 1996 Continuous effort is being ter and the Costa Rica, Toronto, and 1997 put into creating gardens , Sangha gets a Vermont, each Sangha The planting trees, bulbs and taste of work- feeling enriched by the Casa Great Jukai . First Fund flowering bushes, and beau- ing with and caring for a Zen others. The Jizo Garden Zen pur- Drive to retire the mort- tifying the property. Thanks Master. The Toronto Zen Cen- is created out of a hill- chases a gage. We continue to im- to Glenn Story, the Vesak tre becomes part of our commu- side. Manjusri comes to house prove the property and elephant nity making us a Triple Sangha: Vermont. and gardens. is reborn Casa renova- in won- Zen, Ver- tions be- drous mont, gin to turn it into a Zen form. The and To- temple. In June, we have celebra- ronto. our first sesshin in the new tion of Many Casa Zen—Ti’an and Dave the Bud- ‘firsts’: were there. Glenn creates dha’s Term a fabulous new Vesak ele- Birth is Student Program, Great Jukai, phant . now whole and complete, Entertainment Day, Hunger lacking nothing. Banquet. 1998 1999 2002 The Tenth Anniversary Fund Drive to build a large Celebration of the Ver- Sesshins for 2000 addition to the Center to add mont Zen Center and world peace : dorms, bathrooms, a dining burning of the mortgage. three 7-day ses- Taiko workshop with room, common room, storage shins, back-to-back in three Tom Kurai and Stuart and a countries, Costa Rica, U.S., Paton. We finally learn kitchen. Canada. A total of 122 peo- how to play 2001 Many ple attended. We acquire a the Dharma Sangha Dharma Drum at long last. Drum cor- First pilgrimage to Ja- meetings, rectly. pan —28 participants. meetings Nowa be- Kyoto in July: Atsui desu with the comes our ne? (It’s hot, isn’t it?) architect, Drum mas- Martin Tier- ter. Our ney, and meetings with our Earl Lepper crafts an ex- first and contractors, Nagley and quisite Kannon altar for last 10-day sesshin was Chase. The original plan calls the zendo foyer. This will held in April/May. for the addition of two large be our Kannon room for buildings. We soon reduce the next 13 years. the scope of the project by eliminating (for the time be- ing) the Buddha Building.

2003 2006 2007 2004 Second Pilgrimage to Great Jukai. We plant a February 10: Ground- China —36 participants. In Peace Pole at the en- breaking Ceremony for the May 6: 2005 January we host Prince- trance to the Center. Sangha Building, Roshi ton’s Religious Life Coun- the first major Kapleau passes from June 11: Taigen Hen- cil. Hunger Banquet. First stage in the ex- this world to the next. derson is sanctioned Yard and Bake Sale. pansion of the June 6: Dedication of as Roshi’s Dharma Zen Center. First the Sangha Building . Heir and assumes lead- Training Pro- September 19: Ordina- ership of the Toronto gram. Rohatsu is Sitting in the SB common tion of Ti’an Callery , Zen Centre. Second our first sesshin in room while the zendo is the first person to be pilgrimage to Japan — the newly expanded enlarged near the end of con- ordained as a Zen Bud- 43 participants. First struction. zendo and the dhist priest at the Cen- pilgrimage to China — Sangha ter. Zen Drawing 14 participants. Lay Building: 60 Course offered for the ordination of Dave Tis- people at- first time. We begin dell and Kelly Story. tend. Our hosting other groups July: We host the largest ses- from time to time as American Zen Teach- shin ever. well as offering per- ers’ Association confer- sonal retreats. ence.

2008 2011 2012 A third, and last, major 2009 2010 fund drive is initiated to enable us to begin con- Construction continues March: The Toronto struction on the long- November 15: on the Buddha Building, The Zen Centre awaited Buddha Building. Groundbreak- ending with the comple- Lake donates a gor- We host AZTA for a sec- ing Ceremony for the tion of the shell in May. Cham- geous altar for ond time. Buddha Building, the fi- After that, we wait for plain the new nal stage in the expan- the purchase of the de- Land zendo , built sion of the Zen Center. velopment rights to our Trust by Taigen Sen- Dharman Rice and Nowa land by the Lake Cham- pur- sei’s nephew. Crosby are ordained as plain Land Trust . . . chase of We host AZTA Zen Buddhist priests. our property has hap- a third time. We settle First Jataka Tale sesshin pened and construction into the Buddha Build- led by Sensei Rafe Mar- can now resume. In ing, reorganizing the tin. We host the RLC. August the Buddha flow of ceremonies and Delia and Nowa purchase Building is finished! other events to take the Center’s ‘extra’ house We hold our first ses- advantage of our won- next door. shin with the newly derful new space. The expanded Zen Center— Zen garden takes a dream come true. shape. Mitra is ordained . RLC.