Capital Area Bah Center Task Force

P.O. Box 441906 Fort Washington, Maryland 20749

The progress and promotion of the Cause of God depends on material means. Bahullh Allahu Abha ! Dear Friends,

December 11, 2012

We are thankful for the continued support and generosity of individuals and their Bah communities across Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC and West Virginia in unified development of the Capital Area Bah Center property. Momentum increased during 2012 at the property where we saw abundant growth in the gardens and dedication of the first construction project, the three-season free standing gazebo/porch located just behind the old house. A big crowd of Bahs and their friends from all over the DC Metro area turned out October 20 for its first use to host a celebration of the Birth of the Bb and an all day picnic.

New 3-season free standing gazebo ready to host activities for the Metro area Bahs

We announced the Property Beautification program two years ago and with superlative leadership and support from the Bahs of West Virginia have set up a nursery on the property and are growing hundreds of trees and shrubs which are nearing a size when they should be transplanted to their permanent location. During these same two years, it has become abundantly clear from experimental plantings, that deer management has to be the next step, or most of what we set out will be eaten. For this reason we have set a goal for early 2013 to fence the five acres that were cleared several years ago, to keep the beloved deer out and allow us to proceed with planting of groves of flowinging trees & shrubs.

At last we have a website!! Please visit http://www.CABCProperty.org and bookmark it for easy reference. Through it we hope to connect to lots more supporters in the Washington, DC Metro area. You will find forms in the Contact Us area that allow you to communicate with us please share your ideas. Please tell others about the website and http://www.CABCProperty.org about the property.

In recent years, the CABC Task Force has evolved a sustainable approach to development of the property tempered by current realities involving the remaining debt, predictable income from donations, priorities of the Plans of the Faith, and the need to make progress to attract and inspire the Friends. Through the contributions received from you, the principal on the bank loan has been paid down by $1,000 per month for the past 40 straight months.
At the time the property was purchased in 2001 for $1.7M, $855,000 was paid in cash raised through contributions by Bahs and $845,000 was financed through personal loans from a number of Bahs. Over the years some of those loans needed to be redeemed and when insufficient new Bah lenders were found a line of credit with a commercial bank was opened. The debt has now been reduced to $648,000 of which $298,000 is held by Bahs and $350,000 is with the commercial bank. There are two weaknesses with this situation. First, the bank has a lein against the property so we Bahs don't own it outright. Second, we are paying 5.5% interest to the bank, considerably more than we pay to the personal loans. God willing, we can replace the bank loan with personal loans from Bahs. Loan terms are similar to a CD: in $5,000 increments, 1-5 year duration at 3% interest maximum (simple interest paid quarterly). A successful Loan Replacement Program will redirect $10,000 or more annually from paying interest to paying down the debt. Loan offers and questions, as well as requests for a task force member to visit your Feast, may be directed to Lecile Webster, 301-585-0881, lecile@juno.com Jim Fischer, 301-793-1015, jfischer2@verizon.net
Money we owe on the property:

Contributions are needed to reduce the debt, pay operating expenses and interest, and support the beautification work. The bank account is below $6,000 after building the gazebo. Please consider the Bah property in your end-of-year tax planning. In His Service, Capital Area Bah Center Task Force
Appointed by the Assembly of Prince Georges County South Composed of members from Maryland and Virginia

Total owed in January 2012 . . . $680,000 Payments made toward the Bank Loan during 2012 . . . . . . ($12,000) Forgiveness of personal loans . . . ($20,000) Total owed in December 2012 . . $648,000 1) Loans from individual Bahs with interest rates ranging from zero to 5% . . . . . . . . . . $298,000 2) The Bank Loan @ 5.5% with various fees . . . . . . . . . . $350,000

Capital Area Bah Center Task Force

P.O. Box 441906 Fort Washington, Maryland 20749

A bit of background On February 27, 1997 the Assemblies of Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC had a Vision to create a Regional Bah Center. It would be erected in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area and would be a complex of buildings and gardens that would establish in the minds and hearts of visitors and the community of interest the supreme gift of love and unity that the communities of the Greatest Name is working to establish throughout the world. On April 10, 2002 the Bahs by the Grace and Bounty of Bahullh received the Deed of Trust for 11111 Riverview Road, Fort Washington, Maryland, 43.6 acres of beautiful land on the Potomac River. Our Vision had become a Historic Reality. It was through the call and response of the friends and communities in unity of purpose, of action and of commitment in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC and former residents that the Reality of the Vision was made possible. Description - 43.6 acres of mature forest land situated on the Potomac River in Fort Washington, Maryland, just south of Washington, DC. This piece of American prehistory was home to the Piscataway/ Algonquin Indians and is known historically as "Tent Landing." It is referred to locally as the "last piece of heaven" along this part of the river. The only current structure is a hundred year old farm house. Location - Inside an "A" cluster. Within 35 miles of seven other "A" clusters. - 17 miles to the Bah Office of External Affairs in DC. - 11 miles to the U.S. Capitol Building. - 8 miles to Reagan National Airport. - 7 miles to National Harbor (2,000+ hotel rooms, transportation hub) - 4 miles down river from the Wilson Bridge on the DC Beltway - 4 miles across the Potomac from Mount Vernon Facilities - Two miles of trails of which one mile comprises a meditation path with prayer stations sponsored by area communities including Bahs of Native American ancestry. - Amphitheater performance area. - Restroom and kitchen facilities in the old house. Development - Initiated land beautification program for all age groups following the example of Abdu'l-Bah and Beloved Shoghi Effendi of first developing the land creating "green gardens" and when conditions allow erecting buildings within the gardens. 11/2012
The 43.6 acre property is located a few minutes south of the D.C. Beltway at 11111 Riverview Road, Fort Washington, Maryland. It is administered by the Spiritual Assembly of Prince Georges County South.

Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia

Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs of Prince Georges County South, Maryland, Inc. Mr., Ms., Mr.&Mrs _________________________________ _________________________________________ First Name Last Name ____________________________ ______________________ _________ _____________ Street Address City State Zip Code (______)________________ Telephone _________________________________________________ e-mail

Capital Area Bah Center

_________________________________________________ Bah Community Considering a unit to be one dollar a day ($365 a year) then 500 Bahs and institutions contributing one unit each year will achieve the goal of developing the property and paying off the loans that made the purchase possible. Many individuals and institutions will want to take on two or more units. I want to help develop the Capital Area Bah Center Property and pay off the loans that made the purchase possible Please mark one method of payment: AUTO PAY Automatic withdrawal from your checking account (preferred method) Please send a voided check along with this form to the address below.

I agree to let the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Prince George's County, Maryland, South, Inc. withdraw the amount of $ __________ monthly through it's acount called "Capital Area Baha'i Center." I understand that I must notify the Assembly in writing if I wish to end this automatic withdrawal. ____________________________________________ Signature (same as written above) ________________ Date

CHECK I pledge $ __________ per Gregorian calendar month for the next _____ years. Enclosed is my first pledged contribution (not required for AUTO PAY method).

Please make checks payable to: CAPITAL AREA BAH CENTER

Mail this form and checks to: CAPITAL AREA BAH CENTER P.O. Box 441906 Fort Washington, MD 20749
Updated 10/08

Pledge Form