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   Meher Archive News 

A Permanent Archive Building

5/28/2018

Comments

 
By Scott Tower Maloney
“Be true to the Trust I repose in you and remember Me wholeheartedly.”
-Meher Baba
This is a follow up to my recent email about the Meher Archive Collective (MAC)

Many years ago, I was grateful for the opportunity to work in the free clinic at Meherazad. The experience of working alongside Dr Goher, doing what felt like Baba’s work, was pivotal for me. I was inspired by Goher’s example of giving all her efforts to Baba and leaving the results to Him.  Fast forward to today and I find I resonate deeply with the vision of MAC; I am grateful for another opportunity to be of service to Baba, and to contribute both time and financial resources.

For those of you unfamiliar with MAC and the work it has already done, please visit the website.

Our Motto is simple: RESCUE – PRESERVE – SHARE
In my last email, I mentioned that MAC had identified a site for the archive and I am excited to share more details with you here.  
Picture
RED OAK SCHOOL PROPERTY:  The site was originally known as the Red Oak School in Weaverville, NC. It was designed in 1928 by the architect Ronald Greene, who also designed the iconic Jackson Building and Stephens Lee High School in downtown Asheville.  It is sited on six flat acres on a hilltop and provides space that is well suited for both the immediate and long-term needs of a permanent archive.

This site provides all that we are looking for and more, including:​
  • A fireproof building that is structurally sound and built to last
  • Excellent elevation for drainage and free from any flood risk (recent heavy rains caused zero flooding)
  • Extraordinary value in the range of $50 per square foot (including needed improvements) compared with $225 – $250 per square foot to build ourselves
  • Ample opportunity for incremental expansion
  • Multiple opportunities for income streams to support operational expenses (potentially up to $60K/year)
  • Accessibility: Located 15-20 minutes from downtown Asheville
Benefits to World-Wide Baba Community
​
The Red Oak School would give visitors a facility for the following purposes:
  • To preserve, digitize, catalogue and store otherwise irreplaceable material connected to Baba’s Advent, and sharing this material with the widest possible audience through the creation of an online searchable database
  • A research center and library, dedicated to scholarly and public access
  • A Baba  information center (with books and pamphlets)
  • Space for events such as films, music, educational programs, celebrations, and sahavas, (making use of existing commercial kitchen, auditorium with stage, as well as a large field)
  • Dedicated and secure Baba room where special objects can be enjoyed by those who wish to reflect in an atmosphere of Baba’s presence
Professional Assessment
Peter Nordeen and Ty Provosty have scrutinized the building, and both are enthusiastic about its quality and value.  For a more complete assessment of the property and its suitability for a permanent archive space, please see both Peter and Ty’s extensive comments and analysis on our website (Ty’s report contains a summary on the last three pages).  

MISSION OF MEHER ARCHIVE COLLECTIVE:  To collect, preserve, and share Meher Baba’s Divine legacy of materials, artifacts, and words with integrity, love, and transparency for the benefit of humanity.
If you feel inspired, as I do, by this mission and its realization, here is how you can become involved:​
  1. Please share this email widely, particularly with those you feel may be called to make major contributions.
  2. Participate in this exciting endeavor with a financial contribution.  In order to secure the purchase of this property, a vital number of large contributions will be needed, along with many smaller contributions. ​
The purchase price of this property is $725,000, and it requires $475,000 for needed improvements.This work would make the entire building usable and enable our model of a sustainable archive to flourish.
In order to move ahead with this project, we need to raise sufficient funds, or pledges, by July 10th, 2018.  Our offer on this property is a cash–on-closing commitment, with a closing in early August. We realize this is a short time-frame, but it is what Baba has given us, and we know that if this is something that He wants to happen, it will.   We are delighted to announce that before officially launching our fundraising, we have already received pledges from two donors totaling $150,000.  This represents one eighth of our total goal!

Here is a just one of numerous scenarios that will enable us  to reach this goal:

5     contributions of   $100,000     500,000        1 pre-committed    $100,000
5     contributions of     $50,000     250,000        1 pre-committed      $50,000
20   contributions of     $10,000     200,000
20   contributions of      $5,000     100,000    
25   contributions of       $2,500        50,000    
30   contributions of       $1,000        30,000
50   contributions of         $500        25,000
100 contributions of          $250        25,000
200 contributions of         $100        20 ,000       
Total funds needed                       $1,200,000      Total pre-committed       $150,000


We invite you to join us in this important project by participating to the greatest extent you are able.  The time is now and the need is urgent. It is our goal for as many people to participate as possible, and all levels of support are welcome.

If you would like to receive more information, or to discuss the details of your support, please contact Jean Brunet Ludwig directly: jean@meherarchive.org  (828) 412-3454

Contributions and pledges can be made via our website (Scroll to bottom of this page here), or by personal check (preferred for larger donations), mailed to:
          Meher Archive Collective,  P.O. Box 18908, Asheville, NC 28814.  

As a 501(c)3 organization, all contributions to MAC are tax-deductible.

By Baba’s Will, this endeavor will outlive us, our children, and our grandchildren. We are at a crucial moment in the preservation of material connected to Baba and His Advent, and this archive can play a role in humanity maintaining access to the Avatar as Meher Baba. If it is His wish to establish a permanent archive on this site, He will turn the key; we are placing that outcome in His hands.   

This is an opportunity for each of us to contribute to His ongoing Legacy.
We invite all Baba lovers to consider this opportunity.

In His love and service,
Scott

Meher Archive Collective
Board of Directors
Hugh Huntington  -       hugh@meherarchive.org
Renee Busanich    -      renee@meherarchive.org
Ken Blackman       -          ken@meherarchive.org
Jean Brunet Ludwig  -     jean@meherarchive.org
Scott Tower Maloney - scott@meherarchive.org

Executive Director
Eruch Adams -             eruch@meherarchive.org

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