Summer is coming to an end but not before SLOBC has its last fundraiser for the year: our Annual Rummage Sale. Although its income is small compared to our other fundraisers, it offers an opportunity for our members and friends to part with their unwanted items so they have room to buy more new things. You’ll be surprised by what people buy at our sale so come on out to the action on September 4-5 from 9 am to 2 pm.

We had a very successful Obon Festival on August 1st thanks to all the help provided by temple members, their families, temple friends and complete strangers. We wouldn’t have been able to pull off this event without their help. Some say that the attendance was less than last year but all who attended seemed to have a good time. The food was delicious as usual, and the taiko performances got the audiences moving with the beat. We added a hula performance with dancers from Hoapili Pomaikai Aloha of Santa Maria providing a change of pace with graceful swaying of the hips, gentle hand movements, and smiling faces. It is our goal that our annual Obon Festival is a community- focused event enjoyed by all with a flavor of Japanese culture.

If you have been able to visit our temple lately, you may have noticed that our new roof is complete and painting of the temple’s exterior is in full swing. Thank you to those who had contributed to our Roof Fund. We would like to undertake a few other pro-jects in preparation for the church’s 100th Year Anniversary and would appreciate any monetary donations to help accomplish them.

Labor Day also marks the end of Okui’s strawberry season in Oceano. SLOBC has benefited from Okui’s association with us and appreciated their generosity in providing their fruit for special occasions. Previously, we held our Strawberry Festival in Sep-tember to thank all volunteers who supported the church during the year. We’ve moved it to October and identify it as an Apple Festival but with the same intent of thanking our volunteers. More to come on our Apple Festival.

Committee members have been busy focusing on the church’s 100th Anniversary Celebration scheduled for next February. 100 years of spreading the Buddha dharma in the community is a major mile-stone and we hope to make this celebration a memora-ble one. If you would like to donate to this celebration, visit our website, www.slobuddhistchurch.org and go to its donate page or scan the QR code

Gassho,
Gary Hongo