The Fellowship's online auction house

[ed. - From at least January 2002 until at least February 2007, the Fellowship of Friends operated the apolloauction.org website for selling items to members. According to former members, many of the items were purchased by Robert Burton (using members' donations), gifted or sold to members, then requested to be donated back to the Fellowship for subsequent auctions. It would be interesting to see how profits from this operation were accounted for, and whether appropriate state and local sales taxes were collected and submitted.

Also see Purchasing Awakening. The page view below is from the Internet Archive.]

The Apollo Auction is available only to members of the
Fellowship of Friends and no one else is permitted to
purchase items or view this website. If you are a member,
please enter your FULL NAME and password below.

Name:
Password:

If you have forgotten your password or wish to contact us:
Auction@apollo.org
or by phone at:(530)692-2224

 

Apollo Olive Oil expects organic certification

From California Olive Oil News, January-February 2002

"Steven Dambeck of Apollo Olive Oil in Oregon House, CA offered tasting of their mission and Manzanillo blend. Apollo has about 10,000 trees planted representing 37 different varieties of olive. Marketing manager Kimberly Tsirigoti described how as the trees mature their master blender will go to work making a superior oil. They are expecting organic certification this year."

Petrarch Press founded

[ed. - In the late 70s, the Fellowship of Friends undertook a new project to produce its own in-house publications, most notably regular journals and newsletters. For this project, antique letter presses were purchased and restored. Initially, the project was housed in what was called The Blake Cottage, or parsonage. The garage was converted to a press room, while the remainder of the house was reserved for Robert Burton's living quarters, which he shared with his current male companions.

The Petrarch Press was founded in 1985 by Peter Bishop, Burton's one-time personal secretary and Fellowship center director. It is not clear if his presses are the same presses originally used by the Fellowship. Peter operated Petrarch Press until 1996, when he retired. It is also not clear whether the founders of the new Petrarch Press purchased their four presses and other printing equipment from the Fellowship. The Petrarch Press is also known as The Golden Pyramid Press.]

From 2004 Form 990 Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax:

"The Petrarch Press was founded in 2002 with the purpose of keeping alive the tradition of handpress printing. In 2003 The Petrarch Press purchased and restored four nineteenth century Albion hand presses. During 2004 The Petrarch Press produced its first fine book on these hand presses, 'Thoughts from the Letters of Petrarch'. This book was produced using typeset, carefully designed ornaments and illustrations, handmade papers and cloth bindings. The book's title is also in keeping with its exempt purpose to publish fine literary works of a spiritual and philosophical nature, which are then sold to the public at large. The listed expenses are expenses that are incidental to the production of the "Thoughts from the Letters of Petrarch'.

"The Petrarch Press leases its building from Edith Minne who is a significant contributor to the organization. [Fellowship of Friends member] Edith Minne extended $5,000 as a short term loan to The Petrarch Press to help with the cash flow needed to publish its first book. The loan is expected to be back [paid?] back in 2005. Peter Cohen, who is a director of The Petrarch Press also extended $5,000 as a short term loan to help with the cash flow needed to publish the first book. His loan is also expected to be paid back in 2005."

 See Petrarch Press' 2009 Federal form 990EZ filing.

 From the Petrarch Press website:

The Petrarch Press  9690 Stackhouse Lane  Oregon House, California  95962  U.S.A.

Donating to the Petrarch Press  THE PETRARCH PRESS is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization so your donation is tax deductible. We are dedicated to promoting the tradition of fine press printing. If you share our passion and would like to help us by sending a donation we will be very happy (or more honestly, shocked and overjoyed) to receive it.  Your donations will go towards purchasing and restoring fine press equipment...

"Purchasing awakening" wrote on the Fellowship of Friends Discussion blog, June 29, 2007:

More stuff from 2005 marketing campaign:

The Golden Pyramid Press is grateful for the opportunity to publish for the Fellowship ‘The Thirty Traditional Stars’ – a publication of the Thirty Precious Work ‘I’s which lead us to the Divine Present.

The prices are:

$50 – regular copy
$100 – copy signed by Robert
$150 – copy dedicated by Robert

"Email" wrote on the Fellowship of Friends Discussion blog, August 10, 2007:

From: Linda T [Linda Kaplan/Linda Tulisso]
To: students@beingpresent.org
Sent: Monday, March 6, 2006

Subject: [Students] Message from the Teacher: Thirty Imperishable Stars

Dear Friends,

Robert is asking students to keep making efforts to support the fine press publications of the “Thirty Imperishable Stars”. These publications will continue to come out quarterly, and are the best nourishment we can partake of in literature. They are publications that have a lasting value.

They are more significant than we realize. It is difficult for us to value what is happening in our times, and it will be easier for posterity to recognize their true value, in that they serve as milestones in our teaching. We will always be known for this: combining school knowledge with images from all the traditions that preceded us. Thus, these publications are a reflection of what we do.

Robert feels these publications are the true beginning of the School, and considers them far superior to his book “Self-Remembering”. Once these are printed and are sold out, they will not be reprinted. Volume I has been sold out. There are 100 copies of Volume II still available. Volume III is being printed these days by the Golden Pyramid Press for Robert’s Crystallization Celebration. Copies can be purchased through the Auction link on Propylaia [Fellowship member portal].

In presence,

Linda T, Isis