DID YOU KNOW?
Some Amazing & Interesting facts

ABOUT GOLD SUMMIT

  • Gold Summit has had almost 3,000 students come in and out of it's doors.

  • Many students who have trained under Laoshi Markle have gone on to work in fields of government, professional fighting, opening their own successful businesses and/or have passed on the interest in the culture and cultivating to their new families, friends or co-workers. 

  • Gold Summit became an official Non Profit organization in 2008, and was deemed a "Non Profit Educational Facility" by New York State in only 3 weeks after application submission. The speed of approval was unheard of.

  • Gold Summit is a frequent stop for government 
    delegations from China. The Mayor of Baoji, The Vice-Mayor of Changzhou (Buffalo's Sister City) the Director of the Fujian Province Museum of Art and many others have been given a tour at Gold Summit and responded with great pleasure and interest. All visitors have expressed their gratitude for the Laoshi Markle's vision of spreading the ancient philosophies of Chinese culture to the public, for purposes of helping others.

  • Gold Summit has been approached by the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau and travel agencies like Upstate Travel NY, on becoming a tourist destination in City of Buffalo. Tourists will come to learn about the background/story of Laoshi, receive tea service, a tour of the facility and a partake in a little Tai Chi training. 

  • Gold Summit's most popular demographic is children under age 14, and Adults Ages 20 to 60.

  • Gold Summit has done demonstrations or sent Instructors to Sacred Heart Academy, Tonawanda Senior Center, Clarence Senior Center, D'youville College, University at Buffalo, Chinese Lantern Festival of Southtowns, Buddhist Temple in Ontario, Canada, Buffalo Sister Cities Annual Banquet, to Changzhou, China and others.

  • All of Gold Summit Staff, even those paid, volunteer their time for events, special projects, cleaning etc.
    Staff are given organic, fresh vegan meals for their service, and usually receive extra learning and philosophy lessons, as well as Chinese tea time with Laoshi.

  • Gold Summit Staff receive training under Laoshi in management of a private educational facility, Vegan cooking, environmental design, Chinese medicine theory, communication skills, and understanding how to disseminate the philosophy of the Chinese Arts to the public. 

  • The work place at Gold Summit is unique. Staff are expected to keep a positive attitude and sincerity at all times. Gossip, backbiting, jealousy, or lack of attention to the smallest detail by the Staff are not permitted. No one is allowed to let their bad feelings or frustrations affect the Gold Summit peaceful environment. Instead, discipline, fairness, harmony and sincerity are promoted. Problems are solved openly, honestly and quickly. Many Staff members comment on the unique and harmonious work environment.
ABOUT LAOSHI MARKLE

  • Laoshi Markle's Mom, Judith McLaughlin, was a great influence on her directing ability and desire to help others. Ms. McLaughlin, was Executive Director of Task Force for Battered Woman for 10 years, one of the first of it's kind in New York state. The task force helped women trapped in domestic violence relationships. She also worked with Meals for the Elderly, with Laoshi Markle volunteering with her mother at the organization when she was a child.
    Her Mom then went on to be Executive Director of Schoharie County Childhood Development Council for many years. In addition, Ms. McLaughlin, designed curriculum for state and national organizations, elementary school level all the way through College. She wrote her Master's thesis in religious studies and the sacred feminine, and it was published into a book that circulated nationwide. 
    During the storm of Hurricane Irene in 2011, Ms. McLaughlin worked voluntarily for many weeks in Schoharie county, helping the hundreds of people made homeless by the disaster.

  • Laoshi Markle had never made over $20,000 per year before 2014. Instead, she has always put the Institute's growth ahead of her salary. In fact, prior to 2012, she only made between $9,000 and $12,000 per year. Now she currently caps her salary at $26,000 per year. 

  • Laoshi Markle most enjoys training outside in the cold, especially winter. When she was young, she was always cold and like many people, could not stand the Buffalo winters. She also had asthma, and was prone to respiratory infections as a child. After years of training in Qigong and meditation along with her Kung fu/Tai Chi, she says she became more balanced with nature, and more robust in health and now enjoys the brisk air. Sometimes, she is known to take cold showers in the winter, as some types of qigong recommend not to take too hot of shower to avoid draining the body energy. 

  • Laoshi Markle had asthma as a child and had at least 2 harrowing experiences that led to her being unable to breathe and being rushed to the hospital. Martial Arts helped some, but it wasn't until the introduction of Qigong training with her first Master that the asthma was cured by 80% in the first year of training. The following year, when she began training daily in Buddhist mantra recitation and meditation, the asthma was 100% cured.  In addition, allergies that she had since childhood disappeared. Though she says you cannot rule anything out, she has not used western medication for any illness for the past 16 years. 

  • Laoshi Markle took a self imposed solitary spiritual time for more than 7  years. During this time, she followed her Master, Buddhist monk Rev. Shen Kuang, on how to restrict herself and increase her discipline and spiritual levels. More information available here LaoshiErinMarkle.com

  • People with bone cancer, diabetes, joint injuries and others have been completely cured under the training and guidance of Laoshi. Using the combination of qigong, meditation, herbs and lifestyle changes, many people have become totally medication free for illnesses ranging from anxiety, depression, to high blood pressure, asthma, acid re flux, and arthritis. In the future, Gold Summit will conduct a study with an outside organization to research and track the results even more closely.