Tibetan Lama visits Big Island
Arjia Rinpoche, director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center in Bloomington, Indiana, former Abbot of Kumbum Monastery in Eastern Tibet and author of “Surviving the Dragon: A Tibetan Lama’s Account of 40 years of Chinese Rule,” will offer a retreat and teachings at Paleaku Gardens Peace Sanctuary in Captain Cook Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Arjia Rinpoche is the only Tibetan high lama of Mongolian descent in the United States. Many of his students from abroad will join the Big Island retreat.
He will also give a public teaching and meditation from 2-3:30 p.m. Sunday at Paleaku Gardens Peace Sanctuary.
Info and registration: Trish Ellis, ahhawaii@gmail.com.
IRS seeks tax prep volunteers
The IRS and its partners are looking for volunteers to help others prepare federal income tax returns for free. Volunteers are certified to prepare simple tax returns for people whose incomes are $54,000 or less.
Volunteers can help as return preparers, site coordinators, or greeters. Site coordinators (supervisors) may also prepare returns. Greeters answer simple questions and distribute forms.
Volunteers are provided with training materials on how to prepare basic individual income tax returns and, in most cases, how to file them electronically. Instruction will cover both federal and Hawaii state tax returns.
Training is usually between November and January and volunteers generally study online with Link &Learn Taxes to obtain their volunteer certification. Once certified, volunteers spend as little as three to four hours per week between the February and April preparing taxes
To volunteer, email taxvolunteer@irs.gov or please contact any of the following organizations:
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide: www.aarp.org/taxvolunteer; Goodwill Hawaii: Justin Martin, jmartin@higoodwill.org; Hawaii Tax Help &Financial Empowerment Solutions: Susan, 381-0881, www.hawaiitaxhelp.org; Legal Aid Society of Hawaii: Elise von Dohlen, 527-8076, elise.vondohlen@legalaidhawaii.org, www.legalaidhawaii.org.
Info: IRS.gov, keywords: tax volunteer.
Pure Kona Green Market now open on Fridays
The South Kona Green Market’s new ownership is expanding the days of operation. The farmers and artists market will now be open Fridays and Sundays at the site of the Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Gardens in Captain Cook.
Also, new vendors and booth operators will be opening, some for the first time.
The name was changed to Pure Kona Green Market in September. A variety of goods, produce and services are available and love music is offered.
Kona Community Hospital Auxiliary meets
Kona Community Hospital Auxiliary will hold its monthly board meeting at 12:30 p.m. Monday in Conference Room 1.
All members and those interested in becoming volunteers are invited. The auxiliary raises funds for nursing scholarships through a gift shop and Friday morning bake sale.
Info: KCHAuxiliary@hotmail.com, KCHAuxiliary.org.