Executive Committee Chaired By: Khilendra Mani Neupane, President Moderated By: Netra Ghising, General Secretary Venue: NECC Office Date: 3 December, 2017

Meeting Minute No. 1

Meeting: Executive Committee Chaired by: Khilendra Mani Neupane, President Moderated by: Netra Ghising, General Secretary Venue: NECC Office Date: 3 December, 2017

Meeting Attendees: Ram Malakar, Khilendra M Neupane, Saroj Prajapati, Lok Tiwari, Umesh Niroula, Netra Ghising, Parashu Timalsina, Puru Ghimire, Buddha Maharjan, Rajesh L Shrestha, Mukunda Dahal, Panch Shrestha, Shreejana Uprety, Shridhar Gyawali, Magan Shrestha, Shanti Shrestha, Vijaya Shah, Krishna Prajapati, and Nani Babu Shrestha.

Guest Attendee: Hari Prasad Kafle, Boston (Nepali Mandir)

Informed unable to attend: Ram Chandra Kharel, Madhu S Bhandari, Yashoda Bhandari, Gopal Rayamajhi, Shashi Rayamajhi, and Rajan Adhikari

Agendas & Decisions:

1. NECC Team (2017-2020): Meeting thanked to election commissions for successfully conducting the election for NECC team 2017-2020. Meeting congratulated and welcomed entire officials and requested to serve as assigned. Meeting mandated to all the Executive Committee members, Board of Trustees, and Advisors to sign on the Oath documents by end of February, 2018. Meeting also decided to have at least $365.00 per year (dollar a day) donated to the NECC by entire (73) NECC committee members. Vice Treasurer Panch Shrestha will start to follow up from January for 2017 dues.

Meeting further decided that the Executive Committee meeting will be held in monthly basis (first Sunday of each month) as past. Board of trustee and advisors are always invited. Money count, follow up discussion for the last meeting, gardening, cleaning, and necessary work will be done if there is no major agenda for the upcoming meeting. General Secretary will send reminder or notice for any changes.

President Khilendra Neupane informed to the committee members for their responsibilities in briefly and handed written paper to the meeting attendees. BOT Member Mr. Ram Malakar was very excited to know that 73 members are committed voluntarily to serve in the NECC for next three years. He further stressed that volunteers' commitment, meeting attendance, and participation is very important to the NECC and

hope all the volunteers take it seriously and do the task effectively so that community can notice the differences each year.

2. Treasury: During the meeting, the money collected from Pandit jee was $997.00, from the donation box was $1,069.00, and from another donation was $70.00. Total $2,136.00 was deposited to the NECC bank account by Panch Shrestha and Khilendra Neupane.

Meeting reminded to Laxman Pradhan and the treasurers’ team to update the donation list (2014 through 2017), provide donation receipt and thank you note to the entire donors of 2017, and issue the annual financial report at the end of December 2017. Meeting aware them to reinstate the NECC in good standing and apply tax exemption for both sales & property tax of the NECC by end of February 2018.

Meeting decided that Pandit ji must issue the receipt for the service that he (NECC) provides. Meeting assigned treasury team to prepare a donation receipt book and set up credit card processing system physically as well as online consulting with web manager by end of February 2018.

3. Fundraising: Meeting requested Ram Chandra Kharel to explore the fundraising ideas and plan for short and long term goal and do the action with leading to the entire NECC team. President Khilendra Neupane informed to the meeting that NECC team is elected to complete all the basic infrastructures and run the mandir attractively and smoothly in next 3 years. There are lots of project in the pipeline and as a team we need to work very hard. Meeting stressed that fundraising is the most important task at this point and requested all the team members assist Mr. Kharel.

Meeting further reminded entire committee members to donate their $1,095.00 (365x3) dollar a day for 3 years in advance and it can be raised almost $80,000.00 immediately to start the projects and it will be much easier to approach the entire community for their meaningful support.

4. Buddha: Meeting requested Buddha team to plan for the complete work of the Buddha podium. Saroj Prajapati and Buddha Ratna Maharjan will coordinate with Buddha Dharma Sangh, Tamang Society of Greater Washington DC, and Byoma Kush for another separate meeting to discuss about the completion of remaining task. Umesh Niroula will coordinate with engineering team for the constructing part. Meeting requested them to accomplish this project by Nepali New Year (April 14, 2018).

5. Pashupati: Meeting requested Lok Tiwari, Vijaya Shah, and Yashoda Bhandari to review the status of Hindu (Pashupati) Mandir and plan for its improvements physically. The roof of puja hall should be made in pagoda style and the hall to be renovate as well. In summary, Mandir needs to be cleaned, very welcoming, and blessings for the community.

Meeting also requested to the three VPs Saroj Prajapati, Lok Tiwari, and Umesh Niroula to prepare a pooja flyer, service policy and guide line documents consulting other Indian and Nepali mandirs and post the information to the website by the end of February 2018.

6. Construction: Constructing toilet is the number one priority of the NECC and meeting requested Engineering team to start the necessary action now, and try to accomplish by the end of March 2018. Also, meeting requested them to prepare a master plan of the property. VP Umesh Niroula will coordinate for another separate meeting with all the engineers to discuss the plan and measure the property physically.

7. Master Plan: Parashu Timalsina proposed to the meeting that NECC should prepare a master plan (both short and long term) with mission and vision so that the future work can be organized and done accordingly. Meeting decided to form a five members Master Plan Committee including Umesh Niroula, Netra Ghising, and Parashu Timalsina from the Executive Committee and 2 more members will be filled from Board of Trustees and Advisors. The committee will consult to the team members, community members, and experts from the community as necessary. Meeting requested them to summit the final report by end of March, 2018.

8. Database: Meeting requested Madhu Sudan Bhandari to prepare donation database with consulting experts from our community. Meeting requested to the committee members that if anyone know the database expert, please informed to Madhu Bhandari as soon as possible. The work should be outsourced if we cannot find any expert volunteer from the Nepali community. The donation records must be obtained from 2007 and it’s a challenging task. So, all the committee members, especially treasury team, will assist to do this very important task.

9. Publications: Meeting decided publicize the third issue of Namaste magazine and inaugurate it on Nepali New year day on Saturday, April 14, 2018. Chief editor Parashu Timalsina and entire Namaste publication team will plan for the task. Meeting requested all the committee members to try to write short article with respect their responsibility for the NECC and e-mail to [email protected] by January 31, 2018.

Meeting also requested Bishnu Sheetal and Krishna Bhandari to publish NECC bulletin in quarterly basis and assist Lok Tiwari to publish Nepali Calendar for the year 2075 BS.

Meeting also requested Khem Bhattachan to work on to publicize the NECC’s activities to the community.

10. Play place: Meeting agreed on Shreejana Uprety's proposal of building a children's playground. The meeting also requested her and Bishnu Kumari Thapa to take initiation in consulting with engineering team and complete the task by Nepali New Year day on April 14, 2018.

11. Fountains: Since ANS president Prabha Deuja and her team was taking initiation to build Water Fountains at the Lumbini Garden, meeting requested Ms. Deuja for the updates. Meeting assigned Lumbini Garden Directors Anandu lama and Arun Joshi to coordinate with ANS team to complete the project by April 14, 2018.

12. Monthly Puja: Buddha Ratna Maharjan informed to the meeting that Paramparagat Buddha Dharma Sangha is organizing the Buddha pooja and meditation every first Sunday of the month at the Mandir. Meeting requested Vijaya Shah and Yashoda Bhandari to coordinate the monthly and calendar puja at the Mandir.

Lok Tiwari and family is voluntarily sponsoring a pooja for the New Year day on January 1, 2018 where as Vijaya Shah and family is sponsoring another pooja for the Nepali New Year day on April 14, 2018.

13. Yoga/Meditation: On behalf of Pashupati-Buddha Mandir, Director Subarna Panta is ready to teach yoga and meditation in free of cost around the greater Washington DC metropolitan area. In fact, he already started classes since December 2 at the Gaithersburg library every Saturday. If anyone interested and have a group ready and venue available, you may contact Mr. Panta 571-480-2231 or [email protected]

Shreejana Uprety also informed to the meeting that she will voluntarily teach Laughter Yoga at her place if anyone is interested. Meeting appreciated for their initiation, time and efforts to the community. She can be reached at: 571-474-9074 or [email protected]

14. Holi Celebration: ANS president Prabha Deuja proposed to celebrate Holi at Mandir Premises on April 7, 2018 with collaboration of NECC. Meeting approved her proposal with certain conditions such as no loud sound, alcohol, and smokes. Dance and music must be performed indoor only.

15. Statue of Bhanu Bhakta: INLS DC Chapter president Ram Prasad Khanal proposed to erect statue of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya at the NECC promises. Meeting positively discuss in his proposal and requested Board of Trustee to decide since this will bring similar issues and effect permanently at the property.

16. Website: Meeting assigned Parashu Timalsina to update the website frequently coordinating with Suvash Khatiwada. Meeting also assigned Parashu Ram Bhandari to update the NECC activities through the NECC Face Book as well.

17. Condolences: We, at Nepal Education and Cultural Center (NECC), are extremely saddened by the sudden demise of Mr. Dev Narayan Maharjan, father of NECC volunteer Mrs. Ganga Maharjan and father-in-law of NECC Director Mr. Buddha Ratna Maharjan. Dev Narayan Maharjan passed away in Kathmandu, Nepal on Wednesday, November 15, 2017, at the age of 84 years.

Also, we, at Nepal Education and Cultural Center (NECC), are extremely saddened by the sudden demise of Mrs. Khil Kumari Pandey, mother of NECC Directors (Sports) Ms. Sita Pandey, Volunteer Narayan Pandey, and Volunteer Gaura Risal. She passed away in Gauradaha Jhapa, on Wednesday, November 15, 2017, at the age of 85 years.

Our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved the Maharjan and Pandey families for their irreparable loss. Our prayers are with them at this tough time of grief and pray for the eternal and heavenly peace of the departed souls.

18. Miscellaneous: Meeting thanked to Mr. Hari Prasad Kafle from Boston for sharing his experience on working in Pashupati-Buddha mandir, Boston.

Meeting thanked to Netra Ghising and Khilendra Neupane to arrange light refreshment after the meeting.

The next meeting will be held on Monday, January 1, 2018 (New Year Day) at 10:00am as a follow up discussion. Lok Tiwari and family is voluntarily sponsoring a pooja from 11:00am for the New Year day and prasad will be served after the pooja. Meeting Adjourned: The NECC Executive Committee President Mr. Khilendra Mani Neupane adjourned the meeting thanking all the team members for their great support and active participation in the last meeting of this team.

श्री पशुपतिनाथ िथा बुद्ध भगवानले हामी सबैको क쥍याण ग셁न् ।

With Regards, Netra Ghising General Secretary, NECC Greater Washington DC