Meeting November 23, 2007

Buddhist Hospice Committee
Meeting November 23, 2007

Attendees:
Helen Craigie
Frances Garrett
Will Sutherland
George Klima
Craig Mackie

Thanks to everyone that made it through the blizzard to our second meeting. We made real progress during the short time that we were together and I think that things are coming together wonderfully.

We began our meeting with a recap of our first meeting and whom we have spoken with since then. I spoke of my meeting with Susan MacDonald from Perram House and my telephone meeting with Andrew Blake from the Gitche M’Qua Centre.

Craig Mackie discussed his communications with people at the Bob Kemp Hospice and Sister Tinh Quang from Blue Heron Centre both located in Hamilton.

Our aim at this meeting was to try and put together a clear Vision Statement for the committee. Craig led us through some mental exercises, making clear what our personal values are, and what we value for the group. What we want to change in the world and what we have accomplished in our own lives. This was an excellent way of getting to the root of what we want as a committee and where we hope to go in the future. We brainstormed for a vision statement and came up with a rough outline of what we are looking for.

At this time our Vision Statement is in its draft stage and will be open for discussion and revision. I will post a draft this week and everyone is encouraged to comment and share ideas. By our next meeting should be able to agree on a final Vision Statement that we are all proud of and objectives that we all want to be a part of.

We made a list of activities that we want to do in our group. The list was a brainstorm, but we came up with some fantastic ideas that are completely feasible.

Possible Activities
Visiting Lecturers
Workshops (CME Credits)
Online Directory of Services
Publications – pamphlets, booklet of Buddhist stories of death
Buddhist Chaplin network
Facility
Research into the needs of the community
Support for families of Buddhists who are dying, grieving

It became clear by the activities that we want to provide to the Buddhist public that we are looking to become a network of information. We want to provide a place where people go to find information, people to support, resources to educate etc.

What are we going to do next?

Finalize our Vision statement
Put together a website. This will probably become the base of the committee.
Research to begin filling the website with links and resources.
Look into possible guest speakers, venues and other activities that we could run and promote to create awareness.

Thanks so much again for coming last week. Things are really starting to come together. I can’t wait until our next meeting in the weeks to come.

Please comment on the draft statement when it gets posted. This is our group, so we all need to be behind the Vision and believe in what we want to accomplish.



-->Helen Keller:
I long to accomplish a great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.