What a stimulating and enjoyable three days we had together at the National Centre of the TS in America!  The efficiency and helpfulness of Tim Boyd, his warm-hearted wife Lily and the entire staff were unbelievable!  Getting to know them was one of the highlights for us all and we are deeply grateful for their friendship.

Another highlight was the beauty of the setting itself so let’s take a walk around the Olcott estate together.  

One of the first activities on our TOS program was the planting of a tree in memory of Col. Henry Steel Olcott, the first International President of the Theosophical Society. Col. Olcott was a veteran of the American Civil War and Nancy Secrest, the President of the TOS in America, organised the tree planting as part of the Trees for Vets program supported by the American TOS. 

Nancy Secrest addressing participants, watched by special guests, Mahendra Singhal, International Vice-President of the TS and his wife, Shashi; Birendra Bhattacharyya, President of the TOS in India; Tim Boyd, President of the TS in America; and Diana Dunningham Chapotin, International Secretary of the TOS.

Onlookers were invited to place papers with their blessings of the tree into the hole. The memorial tree, an Autumn Blaze maple, is the sapling on the right-hand side. It is already looking happy in its new environment and will turn a glorious, burnished red in autumn.

Visitors enjoyed their tour of the interior of the Main Building, conducted by one of the Olcott staff, Janet Kerschner (in blue, below).

Top    go to page: 1  2  3  4  5  6    Back to cover message