Upon receiving Ibu Rahayu’s letter in 2013, in which she said that it was her hope that Susila Dharma would take care of the elderly in Subud USA, we Board Members of Susila Dharma began by forming a team consisting of a few of us interested in exploring this need which, admittedly, has not been a priority in Subud USA history. Since Subud USA’s inception in the 1950s, the Pioneers, as David calls them, and newer Elders, are more than ever in need of assistance, as they find it harder to attend a group or to even come in contact with other Subud members.
Our original team consisted of Marilyn Schirk, Rachael Knotz, Mardiyah Tarantino and soon included Rosetta T. Narvaez. Rosetta presented Subud USA with a Memorandum of Agreement stating that Subud USA would agree to umbrella the Elderberry Program within its organizational structure under its 501(c)3. Rosetta, now Treasurer of Elderberry, went on to include the specifications of this agreement (see ‘Funding’) and is in charge of the books, records and vouchers to be reimbursed by Subud USA.
Eventually it was decided that a Board of Directors would be formed, and Representatives to represent all of the Subud regions in the US, in an attempt to reach out to Subud Elders.
At the inception of Elderberry, we received much information and advice from David McCormack, who became our Interim Chair from 2013-2015. His experience with the “Pioneers,” the Elders, has been invaluable towards pinpointing our many needs outside of simply providing the Latihan.