The “Old Kitchen,” And The Beginning of A New Era

The “Old Kitchen” was a place of nourishment for so many over the decades. Not only was it the wellspring of countless meals, but it was a central gathering place, a direct channel to the dome, and a harbor for those seeking connection. Due to structural instability, this sacred space has now sat largely unused for far too long.

Last year, Lama Council approved the first phase of renovation: the building of an internal structure that will stabilize and enable future dismantling of the exterior while building anew. In March, the Council approved further direction: The new structure will retain the elegance of the initial design, minus internal posts, and add the capacity for year round use. Lastly, approval was given to begin fundraising, with a goal of approximately $250,000.

So…
What will the ‘Old Kitchen’ be when it is renewed?
And how do we move forward?
We are thrilled to be asking these questions, at last. 

As we head into summer, the first phase, approved and already funded, will begin. Continuing Members, Myles Saigh, who developed the 3-phase reconstruction plan and cost estimate, and Ray Bernhardt, who has agreed to spearhead the reconstruction, will be building the internal, stabilizing structure. This alone will give the community-at-large time to rally together around this exciting project.

While we have yet to fine tune our plans for this new building, we do know that the building’s use(s) will be flexible, with internal spaciousness and capacity for varied use at the discretion of each resident circle, season to season.

At annual meeting this summer we will develop a Design Committee, who will help determine specific features – how much to customize, type of siding, heating options, vent-able window styles, etc. This committee will work with Ray to help determine more specific costs.

Fundraiser, Tracy Cates, will be seeking a Fundraising Team to work with her to spearhead the campaign that will support this work.

We invite all of you to join these discussion as we proceed, and to get involved as you are called to do.

If you would like to join in, or have questions or ideas, please contact:
Bird bird@lamafoundation.org – or
Tracy tracy@lamafoundation.org

As a community we will create a new space that represents Lama at the core: for practice, for community, for prayer, for meetings, and for hosting the guest. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to manifest our love and revivify our dreams in Lama Central.

Let’s make the process as beautiful as that which we seek to make.