YMAA Retreat Center Newsletter - Issue #11

June 2009

• Financial Summary 2008
• Second Semester Progress and Upcoming Summer Events
• New Construction Project
• 2009 Seminar Season is Here
• 2009 Supporters Festival

Financial Summary 2008

The first year of the YMAA Retreat Center's 10-year training program is drawing to a close, and we would like to present a summary of the Retreat Center's financial situation, progress and struggles. Since 2004, Dr. Yang has invested his retirement savings into the YMAA Retreat Center to cover all expenses including the purchase of real estate, construction of facilities, a gravel road into the property, a freshwater spring well, and solar panels. From Dr. Yang's generous contributions, as well as those of our donors and student sponsors, we have managed to stay on schedule thus far.

To this day, he continues to teach and write to generate the income necessary to support the students and to maintain the center for generations today and in the future. Ideally, we hope to reimburse Dr. Yang's for his contributions, which he earned from a lifetime of hard work and dedication to the arts, but we are presently struggling with the more immediate, short-term goals of raising enough money to support students for the next 1-2 years.

The cost to sponsor each student at the Center averages about $10,000/year. We received approximately $35,000 in donations last year, meaning that the cost of about 3 and a half students was covered through the support of donors and sponsors, while the rest of the expenses were covered by Dr. Yang. Unfortunately, the Retreat Center does not have a high profit margin and not all of the students are able to sponsor themselves, so Dr. Yang has had to put in much effort and personal savings into sustaining the Retreat Center at this stage of the program. In the years that follow, as Dr. Yang grows older and continues to use up his personal savings, we will become more and more dependent on the kind donations and support of people worldwide to keep the Retreat Center in operation. We appreciate and value greatly the kindness and support that all of our donors have shown to help bring this project to fruition. The Retreat Center and the 10-year project would not be possible without your support.

In 2008, Dr. Yang supported two-thirds of the Center's expenses. He has donated the majority of his seminar income for the past five years directly back to the Retreat Center, providing financial support for non-sponsored students and covering additional expenses. 2008 Expenses at the YMAA Retreat Center exceeded revenue by $4230.

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Second Semester Progress and Upcoming Summer Events

The disciples of the 10-year training program have completed the body-conditioning phase of their training, which included running, climbing, jumping, strength-development, and stretching. During this semester, they began learning their first White Crane and Long Fist Kung Fu sequences and fundamental forms. They have also been continuously practicing balance, centering and rooting. Dr. Yang is pleased so far with the students' progress.

The disciples are finishing their next video production, learning many aspects of video capturing and editing, with the guidance of their video instructors Craig Atkinson and Rii Kanzaki. It is a promotional DVD that will be included in grant proposals sent to various foundations. Each disciple is now also required to research, write, and refine articles about specific subjects in Chinese martial arts. Articles completed by Jonathan Chang and Tom Dudkiewicz have already been published in recent issues of Kung Fu Tai Chi magazine. The ultimate goal of these videos and articles is to have each graduating student of the Retreat Center capable and confident of continuing their own research, writing, and video productions, such that they are able to promote arts through several different mediums in the future .

In July, Dr Yang will be interviewed on the subject of Qigong for a web radio station. We will post the web address of where you may listen to the interview once it is available.

During July and August, there will be many people visiting the Retreat Center for the seminar season, culminating in the Supporter's Festival at the end of August.

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