Dear Devotees, Members, Patrons and Sponsors,
This letter is to provide you with an update regarding the state of affairs at Toronto Kalibari. We humbly request your support and cooperation.
When the present board came in, we inherited an $880,000 mortgage and a lot of financial and legal instability. We are extremely pleased to announce that with the thoughtful and kind support of our volunteers and board members we have put into place disciplinary measures to ensure our Kalibari has working capital traceability and a sustainable, long term financial growth plan. Every penny that is donated to the Toronto Kalibari is accounted for and is now being used solely for the betterment of the community. With the tremendous support from volunteers, members, devotees and our extended community, these efforts thus far have allowed us to successfully plan and execute the following events:
- Durga Puja
- Laxmi Puja
- Kali Puja
- Kalpatru Utsav
- Poush Parbon
- Saraswati Puja
- Maha Shivaratri
- Kalibari Anniversary
In addition to the above, the following is a list of activities we have completed and include our future plans:
- Cleanliness of Kalibari: This was a serious concern earlier which has now been addressed. Professional cleaning services were hired, and cleaning activities occur every week.
- Installing a strong security system to ensure that there is evidence of any unwanted incidents – which then allows us to objectively investigate the incident accordingly.
- Repairing the fire alarm system, with direct link to the “emergency services” at the Region of Peel, for health and safety purposes, this is extremely critical to comply with, given the risk involved.
- Budget for repairs, including Bedi Area leaks and elevator installation.
- Working on a plan to bring a qualified resident Priest (From lndia), so that the Temple can remain open 7 days of the week and Arati, Puja and relevant religious activities can be performed daily.
There are many other future plans which are aimed to further our mission of creating a community that aims to further the safety, wellbeing and prosperity of its members by showcasing the values of Hindu and Indian customs/traditions. We are committed to sharing our efforts with the community at large on a more regular basis to keep all members updated of our progress.
All that said, we cannot make Kalibari a true culturally rich environment where people from all walks of life will get solace and peace of mind, without your kind support and generosity. The Toronto Kalibari is owned by all of us and it requires the help and dedication from all of us to make it successful.
We sincerely hope that you and your family visit Kalibari regularly. Together, our hope is to become financially strong and help create a more fulfilling venue to highlight the peaceful and altruistic values of the Hindu religion.
We are confident that the Toronto Kalibari can and will be a benchmark of Hindu temples in North
America, but we do need your help more than ever. Not only are we looking to reach our lofty goals but we must also reduce our current debt, which will allow us the flexibility to do more and invest more back into our community and people.
Being a highly renowned temple in North America, we are certain that you all would be proud to see
Kalibari prosper and make it truly praiseworthy. We sincerely look forward to your support and hope to see you with your families and friends together soon.
“Ma Kali Bless Us All”
Yours sincerely,
Board of Trustees-Toronto Kalibari