Southern Dharma Retreat Center Records – M2020-02

Table of Contents

Summary Information
Historical note
Administrative Information
Collection Inventory

Summary Information
Repository
UNC Asheville Special Collections and University Archives
Title
Southern Dharma Retreat Center Records
ID
M2020.02
Date [inclusive]
1986-2016
Extent
3.5 Linear feet
Description note
Contains meeting minutes, newsletters, historical documentation, fiscal information, retreat information, organizational records, and photographs.
Location note
Located in Special Collections, Row 4, Section 6
Language
English
Abstract
The Southern Dharma Retreat Center (SDRC) has been hosting Buddhist retreats in Madison County, NC, since 1978, and has been ranked one of the best spiritual retreat centers in the US by readers of the Buddhist magazine Tricycle. This collection contains records, newsletters, and other materials documenting the history of the SDRC.

Citation

[Identification of item], Southern Dharma Retreat Center Records, D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville 28804.

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Historical Information

The Southern Dharma Retreat Center (SDRC) was founded as the Southern Dharma Foundation in 1978 by Elizabeth Kent, when she purchased 135 acres on Hap Mountain in Madison County, NC. The first retreats were held in 1979 at the Inn at Hot Springs. During the 1980s the Hap Mountain property was developed into the Retreat Center, adding a number of structures during the 1980s and offering retreats at Hap Mountain starting in 1984. Since then SDRC has created a board of directors, continued to improve the property, and consistently offered retreats in the Buddhist and other spiritual traditions. In 2009 SDRC was voted as one of the top retreat centers in the country by readers of the Buddhist magazine Tricycle. SDRC continues to offer several dozen retreats each year.

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Administrative Information —

Publication Information

UNC Asheville Special Collections and University Archives

Ramsey Library, CPO # 1500
One University Heights
Asheville, North Carolina, 28804-8504
828.251.6645
speccoll@unca.edu

Access note

The collection is open for research.

Custodial History

Donated by Michael Scardaville and the SDRC Board of Directors

Accruals note

Additional accruals are expected

Processing Information

Processed by Gene Hyde

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Collection Inventory

Box 1:

  • Folder 1: Southern Dharma – A Personal History by Elizabeth Kent
  • Folder 2: Spring Creek Land Coop notes
  • Folder 3: Pre-1981 Memo relating to archiving
  • Folder 4: Corporate Fiscal Material 1981-82
  • Folder 5: 1982 – By Laws, Tax Exemption Paperwork
  • Folder 6: 1982 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 7: 1983 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 8: 1984 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 9: 1985 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 10: 1986 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 11: 1987 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 12: 1988 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 13: 1989 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 14: 1990 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 15: 1991 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 16: 1992 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 17: 1993 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 18: 1994 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 19: 1995 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 20: 1996 – Annual Meeting Minutes and 1996 SDRC Statement of Policy
  • Folder 21: 1997 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 22: 1998 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 23: 1998 – Budget, Correspondence, Personnel
  • Folder 24: 1999 – Annual Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 25: Contents of Folder for Retreat Participants, c. 1999
  • Folder 26: 2000 – Annual Meeting Minutes

Box 2:

  • Folder 1: 2001 Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 2: 2002 Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 3: 2003 Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 4: 2004 Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 5: 2005 Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 6: 2006 Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 7: 2007 Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 8: 2008 Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 9: 2009 March Meeting Minutes and General Policy Document
  • Folder 10: 2009 July Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 11: 2009 September Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 12: 2009 December Meeting Minutes

Box 3:

  • Folder 1: 2010 – General Budget, Correspondence, etc.
  • Folder 2: 2010 January Director’s Report
  • Folder 3: 2010 March Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 4: 2010 July Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 5: 2010 September Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 6: 2010 December Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 7: 2011 General Notes, Correspondence, Memos
  • Folder 8: 2011 Budget
  • Folder 9: 2011 – Assorted materials
  • Folder 10: 2011 March Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 11: 2011 July Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 12: 2011 September Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 13: 2011 December Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 14: 2012 Budget, Correspondence, Retreat Information
  • Folder 15: 2012 March Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 16: 2012 July Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 17: 2012 September Board Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 18: 2012 December Board Meeting Minutes

Box 4:

  • Folder 1: 2013 Budget, Board Members
  • Folder 2: 2013 – March Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 3: 2013 June Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 4: 2013 September Meeting Minutes
  • Folder 5: 2013 December Meeting Minutes

Box 5

  • Folder 1: SDRC Board Members, 1994-2018
  • Folder 2: Property Appraisal, 2000. 1661 West Road, Hot Springs, NC
  • Folder 3: Property Appraisal, 1995. Donated land
  • Folder 4: Constitution, Policy, and By- Laws, part 1
  • Folder 5: Constitution, Policy, and By- Laws, part 2
  • Folder 6: Constitution, Policy, and By- Laws, part 3
  • Folder 7: Constitution, Policy, and By- Laws, part 4
  • Folder 8: Code of Behavior
  • Folder 9: Work plans, financial support solicitation cards
  • Folder 10: Spiritual Autobiography and Meditation Handbook, by Emerson D. Brooking, Ph.D (book)
  • Folder 11: 1990s – Assorted documents and correspondence
  • Folder 12: Introducing the Southern Dharma Foundation – flyers
  • Folder 13: Practice community documents
  • Folder 14: A Brief History of Southern Dharma (1978-2018)

Box 6

  • Folder 1: Retreat Schedule Brochures, 1979-1992 (missing some years)
  • Folder 2: Retreat Schedule Brochures, 2000-2004
  • Folder 3: Retreat Schedule Brochures, 2005-2009
  • Folder 4: Retreat Schedule Brochures, 2010-2017
  • Folder 5: Newsletters, 1986-1989
  • Folder 6: Newsletters, 1990-1995
  • Folder 7: Newsletters, 1999-1999, 2005-2006

Box 7

  • Photographs and flash drive containing photographs

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