April, 2016
Dear Friend,
We have been developing the concept of a planned community for people ages 55+ for about 7 years, taking great care to identify the best location and partners who have the skills, expertise, and values to assure a successful outcome. While the San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC) is leading this project, our vision is inclusive of all people who are interested in living in a community that supports the growth of wisdom and compassion as we age.
The setting will be calm, simple, and beautiful, and may include resources for fitness and wellness, communal activities, life-long learning, mindful work practice, meditation and an array of other opportunities, to be identified by you and others.
We have located an excellent site in Rohnert Park, California, in Sonoma County, just north of San Francisco. It is part of Sonoma Mountain Village, which has a deep commitment to sustainability through the auspices of One Planet Living. It is a few blocks from Sonoma State University, which operates a very successful Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), and provides on-campus classes for adults who are ages 50+, and access to other University facilities. Sonoma County offers many cultural and recreational opportunities.
We want this community to reflect the needs, interests, talents, and ideas of potential residents; therefore we ask that you complete this anonymous survey before May 13th. It will help us understand what is important to new generations of adults, how you would like to live in the future, the types of services and amenities you would value, and your interest in living in a community. Your ideas and preference are important to planning and to measuring the viability of our plans.
You can request further information, or sign up to participate in further research in the future by following the link at the end of the survey and providing your contact information. We appreciate your thoughtful participation in this short survey and thank you for your candid opinions.
Warm regards,
Susan O'Connell, President
San Francisco Zen Center