Message from the TCI Board
Dear Two Cranes Community,
As we take a breath for the holidays, we can take pride in our 2021 training and accomplishments as a community. Just continuing our training and remembering who we are and why we train in this Art of Peace is a significant accomplishment in itself. Since we began reopening the dojo to in-person training last April, many of us have been gradually re-establishing our link with the physical dojo space and each other, reminding ourselves of the strengths and rigors of full-contact training. It’s been invigorating but humbling.
At the same time, we are maintaining a Zoom presence for those who can’t physically rejoin us. This is particularly important in light of the recent spread of the Omicron variant. And, whether on-line or in-person, we are holding fast to the lessons we learned during our 18 months of remote training by examining our posture, honing our perceptions of our own internal power, and embracing the importance of community.
What Have We Accomplished This Year?
TCI has blended with the challenges of maintaining an energetic dojo during the ravages of a worldwide pandemic. The dojo closure brought into sharp focus what we miss in the absence of human touch, but the healing energy of community—even through Zoom—allowed TCI to survive and even expand its programs over the last year. In general, the dojo is doing well and growing again, with new seminars planned in 2022. That said, student levels and membership dues are still below pre-pandemic levels of 2019. The expense of maintaining a 68-year-old building even as we grapple with new Coronavirus variants and an uncertain training environment will be a continuing challenge in 2022.
Some of our 2021 accomplishments:
Continuous Training. We provided training opportunities even through lockdown periods, offering Aikido and Tai Chi classes in the park, on-line, and in person in the dojo when permitted. This included pioneering the use of virtual kyu demonstrations via Zoom for rank advancement.
Virtual and In-Person Seminars. We organized nine virtual seminars involving practitioners from around the globe. We also joined with other dojos to participate in a week-long Aikido Retreat at Granlibakken Resort to reconvene the larger Aikido community for in-person training.
New Pilot Programs. Consistent with the larger mission of TCI to engage audiences beyond the dojo by applying Aiki principles in new formats, we launched one pilot program and continued with another. The first, called “Ethics, Trauma Healing and Aikido,” targeted psychotherapists by offering an application of Aikido principles in trauma therapy. The second, “An Aikido Toolbox for Teachers,” introduced techniques for teachers and frontline workers to ground, center, and blend at school.
Financial Stability. TCI remains financially viable, although our revenue remains depressed from pre-pandemic levels. Income from adult dues has reached 90% of 2019 levels, but income from youth and teen programs is recovering more slowly and remains at around half of 2019 levels, while income from seminars has been a fraction of 2019 levels. We are buoyed by our 2020 Small Business Administration loan of $108 K, a $12 K grant from the Working Washington 3 state grant program, and by individual gifts.
A New Executive Director. Since June, Susan Adams, our long-time Two Cranes Institute Board Chair, has stepped in as Executive Director of TCI on a part-time basis. In this capacity she has taken primary responsibility for clarifying and detailing TCI’s program growth and remodeling plan, and seeking grants and other revenue to fund these activities.
Temporary Repairs. Our aging building and grounds require significant and costly maintenance, including roof repair and sidewalk replacement. We have completed temporary repairs to both the roof and sidewalk, but more work will be required in 2022. Fundraising through our GiveBIG campaign in May netted TCI nearly $15 K for the sidewalk replacement, and City permits have been obtained for the work, which will likely be completed in spring 2022 (total cost is estimated at $45 K). Roof replacement will require additional fundraising through our upcoming Capital Campaign. This will include both the roof replacement itself (approx. $135 K) as well as installation of fire sprinklers and alarms (approx. $110 K). TCI is pursuing grants in addition to individual contributions for such building improvements.
What About the Omicron Variant?
The wave of Omicron variant now sweeping the nation injects a good deal of uncertainty into TCI’s operations, particularly in the near term. Given our success weathering the pandemic’s earlier phases, we are confident we can weather this surge. Our Health and Safety Committee is currently evaluating what, if any, changes in ventilation, masking, and other health measures we may need in order to continue training safely in the dojo. At this time, masking and vaccination continue to be required, and for those eligible, seeking a vaccine booster is recommended. We expect that, in spite of Omicron, we will remain open for in-person training.
Charting TCI’s Future
Two Cranes has ambitions beyond simply negotiating our pandemic response and meeting our monthly expenses. We want to upgrade our staff, programs, and facilities to better fulfill our mission of supporting our members’ training while providing the wider community tools to find peaceful solutions to conflict in all the settings of modern life. Please join us for a whole-community meeting on Saturday, January 22, 2022—in person or via Zoom depending on conditions—to discuss the best path forward to achieve this vision. A follow-up letter detailing some of the options available to TCI will be sent out in early January.
Year-End Giving
As we conclude a financially difficult year and face uncertainties ahead, we are confident that the TCI community remains our most precious asset. As practitioners, parents, and supporters, we invest in this asset every day, on and off the mat. We keep each other strong and strengthen our communities with our practice. Thank you for that very personal and intentional investment. Your continued financial support is another necessary support—another part of practice. Please consider a year-end gift to Two Cranes Institute if you have the means.
With gratitude for the entire Two Cranes Community, we are
Two Cranes Institute Board of Directors
Susan Adams
Kimberly Richardson
Sara Gerhart Snell
Jessica Levin
Dan Murnan
Greg Mock