The previous owners, Seventh Day Adventsits, who had run the property as a school since its construction, had a huge job of vacating. Right behind their heels we were there.
Troy replaced the old floor in the gift store with a nice wooden floor. Patrick painted the 65’ by 35’ building inside and outside. Caru met with Dave the graphic designer for a new 3’ by 5’ sign to affix to the building. Caru and Vai bought lots of display cases, racks, and shelving from Advanced Display on 39th street. The store will be stocked and ready to open by July 23st. Initial hours of operation will be weekends, noon til 7 pm Friday & Saturday, Sundays 11am til 1 pm, until we can get volunteers for during the week.
Patrick painted the interior walls of the 75’ X 45’ gymnasium, which is scheduled to be completely sanded and varnished July 27th. Caru is advertising for a “worship engineer” who can coordinate all the elements of a live kirtan band, power point presentations, digital projection and multi media effects for the worship services. Starting July 23 there will be weekly services Saturdays at 7 pm, Sundays at 10 am, and the Sunday 5 pm services in Spanish Fork will continue as always. Sunday school will be provided on Sundays, starting July 24. Deepika Kolasani has volunteered to manage the Sunday school and asks for volunteers to help with the kids. There are also an outside soccer field, basketball hoops and playgrounds, swings sets etc.
The schedule for services will be 1) Aratik for 15 minutes 2) Power point by Caru Das for 45 minutes 3) Kirtan & Prasadam. Whole program will take about 75-90 minutes, unless guests will like to stay longer for more kirtan.
During Sunday services and weekend hours there will be a “Krishna Lounge” with WiFi for anyone who would like to come study or relax with herbal teas, sandwiches, and pastries.
First big public event for the new building will be Janmastami., which will be celebrated on Saturday August 20, in the Salt Lake City temple, and next day, Sunday August 21, the actual, day, in Spanish Fork. Both events begin at 8 pm and include the dance of Divya Narayanam & students, Govinda Al Re to break the dahi hundi, musical drama of the birth of Krishna, lots of kirtan, prasdam, and grand abhishekam.
Kind well wishers may help in the customary ways of time and/or money.
On the heels of the purchase cost of the building, renovations to bring it up to Lord Krishna’s standards are going to run $ 50,000.00 or more. Help is greatly appreciated. The most generous donors will be honored at the abhishekam ceremony during Janmastami in the new building.
Volunteers will be greatly needed in the following areas. Gardening and landscaping, manning the gift store and herbal tea/sandwich bar (4 hour volunteer shifts during which one could do homework, etc.), actors, make up artists, and sound experts to participate in dramas, greeters & parking attendants during Saturday & Sunday services, teachers for the Sunday school, clean up and maintenance, decoration for festivals.
God gave us all talents & abilities to engage in His service. These are great opportunities to fulfill one’s purpose in life & experience meaning beyond the mundane.
Here are the contact details for community members who would like to help.
Volunteer Opportunities
Cooking and Kitchen, Weekly Staff, Ramesh & Anushree Goel, (801) 581-6110, rgoel@civil.utah.edu
Gift Store & Greeters, Harikesh & Rama Kushwaha, (201) 204-2043, harikeshwar@gmail.com
Dramas & Dance, Office & Secretarial, Festival Planning,
Caru Das utahkrishnas@gmail.com (801)787-1510
Gardening & Grounds, Deity Worship, Vaibhavi Devi, Kusumsarovar2003@yahoo.com (801)798-3559
Sunday School & Teaching, Book Distribution, Deepika & Satish Kolasani, (801) 824-6471, satish.kolasani@gmail.com
