Source: St. Petersburg Times

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/12/04/Neighborhoodtimes/Tibetan_monk_to_bless.shtml

On December 4, 2005 the St. Petersburg Times reported, "A Tibetan monk is coming to the area this week to officially open a Gulfport Buddhist center. The Venerable Lama Lhanang Rinpoche, who teaches in California, will also make appearances in St. Petersburg. The monk will bless the Pema Choling Center established by Gulfport resident Greg Powers, a longtime convert to Buddhism and an ordained Buddhist teacher. Lhanang had 'a visionary dream' about the center when he visited the area earlier this year, Powers said. It's the first in Florida to offer meditation practices from the Longchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, he said... Lhanang is what Powers describes as a meditation master of the Longchen lineage or school of Tibetan Buddhism. He also is an artist and practices Tibetan medicine."