KTC Pledge Drive Inspires a Challenge – Giving 1 Percent!

KTC supporters, friends, and members have begun responding to our 2016 Spring Pledge Drive, pledging their monthly support for Columbus KTC.

On March 22, we began a four-week campaign to increase monthly contributions for Columbus KTC in advance of looking for a new KTC Center. The campaign ends April 24–three weeks from today.

Our guiding teacher, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, has asked Columbus KTC to seek a larger building than its last one, which was destroyed by fire on Jan. 31, 2016, and has suggested that we work on raising “as much money as possible” to both obtain the space and pay our new monthly costs, which might include a monthly mortgage payment.

Well, the campaign is only a little over a week old and in that week, we have received a challenge.

Marcus Casey, who grew up the son of a Christian minister, said he wanted to introduce the idea of donating a percentage of monthly income to his Buddhist temple. Although Christians, in observance of a passage in the Bible, give 10 percent of their monthly income to their church, Marcus says he wants to start small – he and Jessika want to give 1 percent of their monthly income to the KTC. So they renewed their membership and are giving 1 percent of their income to the KTC each month.

He told the Columbus KTC Board about his idea, and immediately, several KTC sangha took up the idea and followed suit. Steve Phallen and Justin Fitch have pledged 1 percent of their monthly income.

If anyone would like to join the “1 Percent Giving” challenge, contact Steve Phallen at treasurer@columbusktc.org.

In addition to seeking new members, we are asking all existing members to take a close look at what they are able to give. Some may only be able to increase their giving by a few dollars a month: others will take the 1 Percent Giving challenge; and others may find that they can give more than 1% each month.

Whether you’re taking the 1 Percent Challenge or not, your monthly pledge of support – of any amount! – is appreciated. You can write checks monthly, use a credit card, or have your bank send a check monthly. There are lots of ways to give.

Want to get started? To view and print off a copy of this membership drive letter, please click here.

To view and print off our new pledge form, please click here.

Once you’ve reviewed the information on our new pledge form and know how you would like to give, you can mail your completed form to our new mailing address:

Columbus KTC
PO Box 14946
Columbus, Ohio 43214

or, if you would prefer to set up your monthly donations online, you can use our new online donation tool by clicking here.

You can also set-up or continue automated payments through your bank by simply indicating to them the current or new monthly pledge amount you would like to give and also updating them with Columbus KTC’s new mailing address as indicated above.

Please send questions you might have about setting up your monthly donation to our treasurer, Steve Phallen, at treasurer@columbusktc.org.

We’re so delighted at the response of our sangha to the Columbus KTC’s need; may your merit and virtue grow and flourish, and may the KTC rebuild one day soon!

Sincerely yours in the dharma,

The Columbus KTC Board
Kim Miracle
Tanya Schroeder
Steve Phallen
Justin Fitch
Eric Weinberg