Vajra North -Rigdrol Denchen Ling ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
                                     Tuesday, March 2,2010
                              Java Connection Boardroom 6:30 p.m.  
							  
In Attendance:
Rick Buchan
Karen LePrarrie
Trish Eccles
Cheryl Buchan
David Galloway
Shawn Verrier
Stacey Jones		

A special meeting convened prior to the AGM to pass a Special Resolution to motion to
waive the annual audit required in the Societies Regulation Section 9(4).
David Moved to waive the annual audit and Karen seconded it.
*note: this special resolution will a part of every future AGM agenda.	   

1. Meditation (10 Min.)	   

2. Adopt Agenda -Cheryl moved to adopt agenda, Shawn seconded it.  

3. Adopt minutes of last years AGM -Rick Moved to adopt minutes of last years AGM, Stacey seconded it.	

4. Business arising from last years minutes: 
Letter of support for Laura for visitor's status. Trish drafted letter on behalf of VN Board of 
 Directors. The Board hasn't heard anything back, so everything must be okay. 

Binder Committee has been working hard on compiling the Events Coordination Binder Guidebook and it is
 coming along nicely. The binder will be completed this week and will be used in planning the upcoming
 Ngondro retreat in April. 

Letter to Lama Drimed 1. formulate questions the Board has -When Lama Khadro was here last year she was
 able to answer all of our questions. 2. Letter to invite Lama Drimed to Yukon -The board has not sent a
 letter to Lama and will discuss it in the future. 

VN Credit Card Options -In order for VN to apply for a credit card to collect air miles points the CC 
 company requires a personal guarantor. Cheryl is not comfortable with another card, but if someone else is
 interested they can apply. 

Reggie Ray -Shelagh Smith is working on getting answers on how much it would cost. .. and sent a letter
 in Sept 09 to enquire. The board discussed if he were to come to Whitehorse, we would require
 partners from outside of VN to assist in the organization and expenses. 

Stupa Project - Will need to draft a budget to present to Charities Canada since the stupa would be a 
 capital asset. The project can be phased or completed in stages to span over multiple years.	
	
Our stupa could cost $5000-$6000. Lama Padma has a contact to get the word out so
that we can get an estimated cost. The fundraising for the stupa project will be 
separate from any donations coming in to VN. Lama Padma feels strongly about
individuals donating time and dollars to create interdependence and an opportunity
for sangha members to gather merit. When the time comes the sangha will be asked if
they would like to contribute labor and/or dollars.
Action Item: Cheryl will inquire about what tbe budget ceiling is. 

5. Chair's Report -Presented by Trish   

6. Treasurer's Report -Summarized by Cheryl (In & Out Report)
-We are in good shape with regards to charitable dispersements
-All retreats were well attended and VN came away with $2008.41 from the three
retreats we hosted and could send teachers home with a good honoraria
-Spent $140 on the VN library
-Sales had a net gain of$589.88
-Garage Fund raiser was successful $580
-personal donations to VN $550 not including receipted donations (i.e. tax receipt
from retreats)
-Receipted donations from retreats amounted to $15 347.80
-VN hosts 9 meditation sessions monthly at White Swan Sanctuary. VN took a loss of
$864.50 for 2009 on room rental. VN is not receiving enough donations to cover cost
of room rental. It was discussed by the Board as to whether Red Tara and Tonglen
practice be moved back to someone's home and keep the Monday Shamitha practice
at White Swan. Over time the Board has received comments from Sangha members
that they like having practice space that is public and others like having it in a private
home . Perhaps the Board should encourage increasing membership, fundraising and
donations to be able to support public practice space and to help support occasional
requests such as the Ngondro practitioner weekend retreats.
-The Board accomplished everything the membership requested in 2009
Action Item: Cheryl will forward Treasurer's report to Board. 

Discussion regarding membership packages and donation mail out
-VN has a one time membership.
Action Item: David will post the membership package on the VN website	 

-Discussion regarding donations to VN. Possibilities include members or interested
parties can give an annual donation, monthly or whenever they can. Sangha members
may also be interested in donating Air Miles point flights to help offset the cost of
bringing teachers. The point was made that if you attend the weekly practices and
contribute $2 as a donation for room rental you don't get a tax recipe, but if you were
to calculate how many times a year you attend and multiply it by $2 and donate a
lump sum, you would receive a tax receipt for your donation.
The question then arises, how do we implement a mechanism so that people who
want to donate to VN can?				  

 Cheryl brought up the very important point that we never want people to feel that
then can not participate in activities because they can't afford it. It is important that
we continue to do that so people can benefit.  

Karen made the suggestion of sending out an email and letters via Canada Post which would include: Minutes from
 AGM, membership form, donation form, summary of 2009 events to illustrate just how much VN	
 accomplishes in a year, where the money is donated to, spent. .. and indicate where our losses have been.	 

Action Item: Karen will draft letter to Sangha and circulate to Board for review  

Action Item: Cheryl will draft email to Sangha requesting mail addresses and also asking if 
 people have any request for the upcoming year. 

Action Item: Cheryl to forward any emails/reports Karen to assist in the
drafting of the letter.		   

Action Item: David will post AGM Minutes and Chair's report on website	 

Action Item: Karen and Stacey will compile mailing addresses in April and enter in to template to
 get ready for mail out. 

Attachment to the letter/email will include:
Membership form, donation form, explanation of solicitation for donations and
reasons why, summary of year's activities and minutes from AGM.
If we had a consistent income from donations yearly or monthly we could count on
some sort of regular income. The Board would like to keep the public space, but we
need to be able to support it financially. VN is going in to the next three retreats with
a very small balance in the bank.
Carol Pettigrew donated many beautiful text covers to sell in our store as a fund raiser for VN. Thank you 
 Carol for your generous offering.  

Action Item: Shawn will check with the City to put in an application for the spring garbage pick-up to raise money	 

7. Election of Directors -Karen LePrarrie is not standing for re election on the Board. Currently there is a 
 vacancy on the Board. Trish, Shawn, Cheryl and Rick are in mid term, one year remaining in term Stacey and	
 David are in by acclimation for a 2 year term	  

8. General Planning for 2011:
Visiting Teachers:
Lama Padma
Khentrul Rinpoche	
Lama Khadro -Red Tara, P'howa review
Lama Shenpen Drolma?
Jigme Rinpoche?
Reggie Ray?		

Fund Raising Ideas:
Spring Garbage Clean Up
Garage Sale
Endless Knott Waffle Stand -Shipyards Park, Canada Day
Carol's donation of Text Covers
Soliciting Sangha for Donations	

9. Opportunity for questions and answers, recommendations or comments from the membership-no members other than
 Directors attended
Action Item: Cheryl to address in email she is sending out to Sangha to request mailing addresses.		 

10. Meeting adjourned @ 8:38 p.m.