Fix Vandalized Shrine
Donation protected
Buddha on 9th (facebook name) is a Buddhist Shrine located in a Salt Lake City neighborhood. The extra large Buddha head is housed in a custom make wooden shrine, placed in the front yard of the homeowner, Ben Dieterle. The whole structure is 4 ft x 4 ft x 5 ft. The shrine was dedicated to the community by Zen Master, Michael Mugaku Zimmerman, of the Two Arrows Zen Center of Salt Lake City on December 6, 2017. Local media coverage followed the opening and many well-wishers and neighbors have left flowers or lighted incense or stopped by for a moment of reflection. The shrine was vandalized on Wednesday, January 23, 2018. The perpetrator threw a large rock into the face of the terracotta Buddha head and smashed the nose, leaving a gaping hole. The perp also stole the crown on top of the head. When Ben arrived home for lunch, having not noticed the damage when he left for work that morning, a woman was parked outside and approached him to see if she could help. Other neighbors and well wishers are also rallying to show support. Fortunately, the custom wooden structure that acts as the shrine was not damaged. The shrine took six months to build and has intricate patterns in the design. The plan now is to purchase another extra large Buddha head and have it shipped to Utah. The current Buddha head weighs about 300 pounds. Your support for this project will provide a positive message to the community that vandalism will not prevail. Thank you.
Organizer
Benjamin Dieterle
Organizer
Salt Lake City, UT