October 13, 2023
Seeking Volunteers for City Center Packing and Preparation!
Volunteers packing up the City Center library

Volunteers packing up the City Center library this September in preparation for the renovation. Photo by Brent Haas.

December 12 through 22, 9 am – 4:30 pm each day, includes lunch
Shifts are flexible; join as you are able. See contact information below.

In preparation for its significant renovation, San Francisco Zen Center’s Beginner’s Mind Temple is reaching out for some helping hands. The temple, currently home to over 30 residents, will need to be efficiently packed up and readied for this project.

City Center is organizing a ten-day “Packing and Preparation Initiative,” and all are welcome to be a part of this effort! It’s a hands-on, collaborative process, and there’s a certain joy in coming together as a community for a shared purpose. Tasks will range from boxing up items and heavy lifting to basic cleaning and sweeping, etc. All levels of ability are welcome and needed.

To support everyone’s efforts and ensure that we all stay nourished and energized, lunch, tea, and snacks will be provided each day. And for those who can join on Saturday, December 16, we’ve also set aside moments for reflection and learning. As we go about our tasks, there will be times for sharing stories about Zen, and diving deeper into its teachings—a harmonious blend of action and introspection.

Your participation is invaluable. Whether you can join for a single day or multiple days, your presence and effort are integral to the successful transition of our temple from the beginning of the renovation to its end with the move back into 300 Page Street. We look forward to these days as both preparation for the renovation and as an enriching opportunity for our collective practice at San Francisco Zen Center.

Please contact ellen.simpson@sfzc.org to volunteer or if you have any questions.