Fifty years after its inception, Ben Lomond Quaker Center has stepped forward into its second half-century, ministering to the condition of the several thousand people who come each year seeking reflection, community, and spiritual renewal.

A critical step toward reaching true financial sustainability was in recognizing the need to rectify the directors? salaries. When Walter and Traci signed on as co-directors eight years ago, their contract considered them to jointly hold one and a half positions. The Board has decided to recognize financially what we have long known to be true; our unflaggingly committed directors both work full-time. Absorbing the impact of this salary increase will require a reassessment of the budget.

At our annual Board retreat in January, we turned our focus to rentals and especially rental rates. When Quaker Center is not holding programs or in use by other Quakers, it is often rented out to other non-profit organizations sympathetic to Friends? values and beliefs. Many people, in addition to Friends, have deeply meaningful experiences here. Recognizing that to grapple with the pricing structure requires nothing short of clarifying the multiple tiers of our overall mission, we began with a broad approach, and established a set of guiding principles for rentals. First is the commitment to operate sustainably. Second is the aim to support Quakerism and Quaker values by giving priority to Quaker Center programs, other Quaker groups, and then to other groups congruent with Quaker values. Finally, we seek to be fair, consistent, and transparent in our pricing. As we convert these principles into a new rental rate structure, the adjustment of covering the real cost of the directors working full time will be accounted for. Next year we are looking at about a ten percent increase in overall rental rates.

Another area in which we have taken care to address financial sustainability is our imminent plan to expand the Redwood Lodge. Following up on the 1998 completion of the Director's house and the reconfiguration of the Manley House into office space and the intern's apartment, this is the final project funded by our capital campaign. An expanded main building for the Redwood Lodge will provide, for the first time, appropriate dining and meeting accommodations for groups of 25 or 30 in our more affordable facility. This new space will be welcomed for hosting smaller Quaker Center programs, as well as for the summer youth camps. It will also provide a larger indoor movement space than we currently have available. This project will be partially financed with the remaining funds from our capital campaign. Significant additional funding will come from the Replacement Reserve, a fund set up eight years ago to provide for the depreciation of our buildings. This will be the first major expenditure from this fund. In effect, the availability of these reserves is a testimony to how fiscally well-managed Quaker Center has been over the last eight years. However, we will soon need to address strategies to replenish those reserves. At the same time, we must be prepared for the likelihood that the current economy may significantly increase the projected construction costs, and that it may be necessary to do additional fundraising. With care to be responsible in the choices we make, we are moving forward with bids and expect to build in the fall.

This has been a very rich year in terms of programs... from a busy and fun workcamp, to a womens' weekend filled with song, to a spiritually deepening Year-End retreat, to the youth summer camps which grow stronger and stronger each year. This year saw a further expansion of the camping program, with a pilot run of Senior Camp for rising high school juniors and seniors, and recent graduates. It was a real experiment in Quaker process and community, as the young people took on full responsibility for planning the program together. It was tremendously well received, and there is great unity to make this an ongoing program. Another exciting 'first' was the sponsoring of an Alternatives to Violence Program. An Advanced workshop and Training for Trainers built upon the Basic workshop, and the three programs together complete the first full cycle of a cooperative endeavor between Quaker Center and Bay Area AVP. Since last May, two different circuits of Quaker Center on the Road have taken place, including a program held at John Woolman School. This outreach has been well received. Some Meetings outside the Bay Area have begun inquiring about Quaker Center on the Road! A final heartening element of Quaker Center programs is that there are a growing number of participants under the age of thirty.

This has been a rich year for the staff as well. In September, David Forbes and Heather Elrick got married! The staff are very pleased to have Katie Thorsos here as a volunteer intern. In three years of experience, the staff has found that the interns have a great deal to give to Quaker Center and Quaker Center has a great deal to give to the interns. Katie's major project this year has been creating a water manual, an accomplishment that will have lasting impact. The staff is grateful as well to have Helen Jean Story from Santa Cruz Meeting on board as a part-time housekeeper. While the position is not new, her presence adds to the sense of community among staff, especially because she joins Friday morning Meeting for Worship and is connected to the broader Quaker community. Quaker Center will have a new staff resident for the summer, Michael Edwards. He will cook for two of the youth camps and help David two days per week, and will reside in the Art Center. Of final noteworthiness is that fact that Traci stepped into a new role this winter, as leader of the Year-End Retreat. The topic was prayer and faithfulness, and the experience quite powerful for everyone involved.

And so another year closes. Quaker Center continues to thrive, grow, and serve, and seek after that balance which sustains. It is with a deep sense of gratitude that we reflect on this year and extend our appreciation to all those who contribute in so many ways, and to those who share this journey with us.

Respectfully submitted,
Sue Torrey, Clerk
Ben Lomond Quaker Center Association