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Final Phase of the Olmo Ling Temple Capital Campaign
Message from Tempa Dukte Lama (updated January 27, 2025)
My Dear Friends,On December 9, 2022 we bought the building that houses Olmo Ling temple in Pittsburgh, USA, thanks to a successful capital campaign with the generous support of our community. Subsequently we renovated the upper two floors with your help. We are now required to make fire safety improvements for the residential use permit so that we can rent out the upper two floors to community members.
I am profoundly grateful for all your love and generous support throughout the past sixteen years since I founded Olmo Ling Bon Center & Institute. Your continuous support has made it possible for me to serve the worldwide Bon community. I will never forget your kindness, love, and friendship.
Our temple has received tremendous blessings, including two teachings and blessings by His Holiness the late 33rd Menri Trizin, the crown jewel of Bon, in 2011 and 2013, and two teachings and blessings with His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche in 2019 and 2023. I have taught at Olmo Ling every Tuesday evening since 2009 and have offered many weekend retreats. Many great Bon masters and Western teachers have visited.
With my sincere gratitude and prayers for your continued support,Tempa Dukte Lama
Changes Needed for the Residential Use Permit
We are almost there! Please join us as we convert our building to full use!
In summer 2023, after the visit of His Holiness 34th Menri Trizin, we started the – unexpectedly tedious – process of obtaining a residential use permit for the two upper floors above the temple.
When we bought the building it had a commercial use permit only. The upper two floors were linked with a communicating stairs and there was an insufficient fire separation between all three floors. We anticipated having to remove the communicating stairs, install a separate HVAC system for the second floor, and install a fire alarm system.
However, after working through the details with two architects, fire safety experts, and City inspectors we learned that we additionally needed to construct either a new external fire stairways or install a sprinkler system with a new water main line connecting to across the road from Olmo Ling. Iris worked with our architects to appeal to the City Board of Appeals twice to request an exemption on the grounds of the smaller size of our building.
We are delighted to share that in December 2024 we were granted an exemption to the costly sprinkler requirement!Olmo Ling is a small non profit financed entirely through donations, memberships, and teaching fees and relying on much volunteer work. The long wait for the permit has been very challenging. We are most grateful to a generous community member whose substantial gifts enabled us to bridge this time. We also thank our architects Greg and Ee Ling Marin for offering us a discounted rate.
Our Fire Safety Campaign is Complete — Thank You to All Our Donors!
Thanks to your incredible generosity, we were able to install a much-needed new furnace after our old furnace broke. We sincerely thank all our donors.
We are pleased to announce that the fundraising goal for the fire safety measures at Olmo Ling Temple has been fully met. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors. We extend our deepest gratitude to Tim Aitken for his exceptional contribution, which was instrumental in reaching this milestone, as well as to all who gave so graciously towards this effort.
Your continued support ensures that Olmo Ling Temple remains a safe and enduring home for our Sangha. We thank you sincerely for your generosity and prayers.
Remaining amount to be raised for fire safety measures: $0
Thank you so much for your continued support, generosity & prayers!
Olmo Ling is a United States 501( c )( 3 ) tax-exempt non-profit religious organization
All donations are tax-deductible