Newsletter #8

​How's MAC? 

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Meher Archive Collective is committed to honoring Meher Baba
through a culture of Integrity, Transparency and Trust;
we take this Responsibility seriously, as we continue to build Expertise,
​and pledge to be of Service to all those invested in protecting Baba’s legacy.

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Scott Tower (Maloney)

Board News
We are delighted that Hugh Huntington, MAC’s previous President and BOD Chair, is continuing his active participation on the Board. Meanwhile, MAC’s new President and Chair, Scott Tower (Maloney), has stepped into this leadership role with excitement and enthusiasm.

An Update from Scott
Stepping into the role of Chair and President, I feel both humbled and excited—both by the scope of this project along with the opportunity to serve Him through this work, and to be welcoming our new Board Members, each of whom brings an additional richness of talent and dedication to MAC.
In my leadership role I am continuing the work of solidifying the Board’s structure, maintaining transparency, fostering greater community engagement, and establishing sound financial support for MAC’s near and long term goals.
As our vision expands, we are clarifying our budgets—both for our ongoing archival work and for the Meher New Life Center—a soon-to-be dynamic hub and shining beacon for Meher Baba.
A major goal is to complete the building renovations necessary for MAC to move into the MAC facility by the end of the year. As a board we are working to expand awareness of MAC and its vision, both nationally and internationally. MAC continues to build community: physically, through increased volunteer involvement, events and seminars; and virtually, through the online sharing of Baba’s message and treasures. 
We are working to fashion our fundraising efforts with respect for the challenging times in which we all find ourselves. Ultimately, it is all for Him, and for the desire to preserve the cherished fragrance of the Beloved for those who will follow.

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Meanwhile, we are delighted to introduce our three new Board members—Anne Barker, Evie Lindemann and Arthur Trupp. 
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Anne Barker
Anne has been serving as MAC's Library Committee Chair. She has a Masters Degree in Library Science and has worked in various positions as director of a public library, director of an alcohol and drug abuse resource center, and as outreach librarian over nine branch libraries and a four county bookmobile service. The library received national attention based on its response in assisting evacuees during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Anne worked closely with community organizations in setting up ongoing collaborations following the disasters. Anne brings library administrative skills in support of organizing collections for the MAC community. From assessing donations to writing policies and procedures, she continues to be involved in library operations. Anne enjoys helping people find the right book and searching for information on a wide range of topics.
She is married to Chris Barker and is a proud grandmother. Since 1978 she has followed Meher Baba. Anne is delighted to be in Asheville, and is happy to offer service to the MAC Board.

Evie Lindemann 
Until recently Evie was a professor in a graduate program of art therapy in Connecticut; she moved to Asheville five months ago. Evie is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a board-certified art therapist. She teaches courses on the use of mandalas, journal writing, and art making, as a pathway to personal integration. In recent years Evie has organized humanitarian art therapy projects in the United States, India, and Jamaica. She currently has an active practice as a printmaking artist, working from a studio in the River Arts District of Asheville.
Evie’s journey to Meher Baba began after she graduated from UC Berkeley, when she began a two-year odyssey across Europe and Asia, eventually leading to Meherabad. She has traveled to India very often and is deeply inspired by the unique ways in which the Mandali embodied Baba's teachings. Evie had the good fortune to spend six months in India working with Dr. Goher at the medical clinic in Meherazad, as well as assisting Arnavaz Dadachanji with her spiritual autobiography. She has served on the board at Meherana for a number of years in the nineties, and again in 2014-2015.

Arthur Trupp
After a lifetime of work, study, and play as residents of New York, Arthur and his wife moved to Asheville in 2010. In New York, for twenty-five years up until retirement, Arthur forged a living  as an owner and operator of several Natural Food Markets.
To his surprise and delight, Arthur was asked to be Treasurer for MAC; he is honored to offer his financial wiles to the terrific mix of officers currently lending so much energy and talent to such an exciting endeavor.
Back in 1971 at the age of 19, a much-beloved professor by the name of Dr. Bruce Hoffman offered Arthur a photo of his own beatific, smiling guru, introducing Him as Meher Baba. That was 49 years ago.
​Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai! 

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MAC’s Sustaining Donor Campaign
Timeframe: June 1st - November 1st, 2020
Goal: 200 donors contributing $25 or more per month

At Meher Archive Collective, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve Meher Baba. As we honor His wish for us all to spread His Love far and wide, we thank you for supporting our vision in whatever way you can.
On June 1st we launched our Sustaining Donor Campaign; please consider taking the opportunity to become a sustaining donor between now and November 1st, 2020.
The upkeep of facilities and storage systems, along with the preservation of a wide range of treasures, is costly. Your monthly contribution will help us budget for supplies, equipment, a growing workforce, the expansion of storage and work spaces, and general operational costs—all in support of the ongoing preservation of Meher Baba’s legacy.
As we receive a growing number of collections from around the country, and the volume of treasures continues to grow, MAC depends upon the support of our Sustaining Donors, both now and as we prepare to move into the MAC facility. Our goal is to have at least 200 Sustaining Donors by November 1st.
Can we count on you to commit to a minimum donation of $25.00 per month for one, three or five years?
To become a Sustaining Donor in support of MAC’s ongoing vision, please go to our website.

If you have any questions, please email us at: Accounting@MeherArchive.org or contact any of the Board members. Alternatively, you can write to us at Meher Archive Collective, PO Box 18908, Asheville NC 28814.

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The Destiny of Baba Treasures
We are always available to help in the care, preservation and documentation of your Baba treasures. Please consider donating or bequeathing your precious collections to Meher Archive Collective. Over the last year we have received a growing number of personal collections including photo prints, slides, audio-tapes, documents, manuscripts and letters to and from Baba and His Mandali. We are always ready to receive personal collections of Baba related artifacts in the event of relocation, illness, or as a last will and testament.

If you have any questions about donating some or all of your collection, now or down the road, please email us at: 
MAC-Office@MeherArchive.org or contact Scott Tower at 828.290.6972 

​It’s never too soon to begin thinking about the destiny of your Baba treasures!

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Updates
MAC’s Remote Library continues to be hosted by Debby Blackman. Please contact her if you would like to check out any of the books or DVDs in the collection. 

The Chicago Baba Group has generously shared a number of books that have already been delivered to Debby by Fereshteh Azad. The task of entering these book titles into a spreadsheet has begun.

Asheville Music Sahavas has been rescheduled for October 23rd - 24th 2020 at Odyssey School, Asheville.
For further details, please click here.

The Southeast Gathering has been rescheduled for April 2021. 
For more information, please click here.
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Michael Ivey talks with MAC’s New Caretakers

The Homan Family

As of May 15, MAC has welcomed a beautiful Baba family to Meher Cottage at the MAC facility. They are the Homan family: Jason, Betsy and their three children, Caleb (14), Joliene (12) and Sheppard (10).
The Homans are natives of Louisiana. They discovered Meher Baba largely through their own spiritual search and first came to a formal Baba-gathering when they attended the SE Gathering in 2015. Their desire to be part of a Baba community and the encouragement of several Asheville Baba lovers led to their move to Asheville in August of 2016.
Many of you know Jason as an extremely talented musician and music producer. He also served as a Marine in the first Gulf War. Currently he’s working with the renovation crew at the MAC building. Betsy is a teacher with multiple certifications and almost 20 years’ experience. She currently teaches through the Rugby Middle School in Hendersonville. Before moving to Asheville, the Homans operated an independent school of their own, providing teaching services to a variety of students with unusual needs and circumstances.
Caleb, Joliene and Sheppard love the schools that they attend here. They are lovers of nature and are very happy to now have such a large “front yard” in which to roam.
The Homans say that they are thrilled to begin life at the MAC building, believing that Baba has guided them every step of the way. They express deep gratitude to be placed in such a way that they are serving the Avatar’s manifestation and to daily feel His presence in their lives.
In talking with them, I discovered a little “Baba-miracle” (coincidence) that indicates that they are in the right place at the right time. As Jason was re-forming his music production business last year, he needed to think of a new name for it. It so happens that Jason’s birthday is the same day of the year on which Baba began His New Life phase in 1949–October 16. So the name that Jason chose for his business was “New Life Studio.” He chose that name several months before MAC’s Board renamed the Red Oak School property the MAC building, having no idea that he would be living there in the future.
So, as of this month, Jason’s “New Life Studio” is located at the MAC building!

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From the Archives
Eruch Adams and Elaine Cox, MAC’s Archive Director and Archivist respectively, along with the support of the Communications Committee, have been working on a new online project entitled Archiving from Home. This will be launched towards the end of June and will include detailed descriptions and photos of how to begin caring for and preserving your Baba treasures at home.
Our goal is to periodically add more information in the form of tutorials, both video and written.
As soon as Archiving from Home goes live on our website, you’ll receive an email from MAC’s Communications Team— Communications@meherarchive.org
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Until then, here's a glimpse of what’s to come...

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Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!
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