The Amitabha Stupa, a 36-foot tall Buddhist prayer structure in West Sedona, is here to stay without any homes popping up next door, at least for the next 30 years.

In December, Kunzang Palyul Chöling, the group that owns the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park, announced it was short of funds on the mortgage and would have to produce a combination of cash, land sales and/or friendly loans of roughly $600,000 to prevent a 4.06-acre parcel of land KPC owned directly north of the 7.76-acre Peace Park property from being parceled and sold, which was set to begin July 9.

KPC supporters mobilized the Friends of Amitabha Stupa and the Sacred Lands Campaign and raised $120,000 between January 2012 and early July, with fundraisers and requests from donors. KPC also began a Path to Peace project, bricks on which donors can have their name or a message inscribed. Some $20,000 came in during or as a result of a webathon fundraiser July 5, which was followed by a Stand For Peace concert on July 8. On Sunday, Feb. 17, from 2 to 5 p.m., a silent art auction will be held as another fundraiser for the Peace Park. Five Gloria Rothrock paintings from her Serenity Sister and Buddhist Brother series will be on display at Troia’s Restarant, where the fundrasier will be held, until the event. The restaurant is located at 1885 SR 89A.

For the full story, see the Friday, Feb. 15, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.