International News
Posted by Ruth Ann Angus
Clyde Ganes introduced Eric Parkinson, an attorney in San Luis Obispo.
Eric is a longtime friend of Clyde's and he is involved in a project to
help orphaned children in Sri Lanka.
To that end, Eric formed a nonprofit called VeAhavta, You Shall Love, which has expanded to include child care, medical care, day care and elder care in Sri Lanka. Clyde feels that Eric "embodies the spirit of Service above Self."
Eric became involved in Sri Lanka some years ago. He started off fundraising $20,000 to help an acquaintance start an orphanage. Somehow that morphed into buying property for $235,000 on the beach in Sri Lanka. The orphanage took over an abandoned hotel property, which was just perfect. There were 109 children there, but now there are 68.
He has been able to open a day care center for the children of working parents, and he has opened a care home for destitute elders so they can die in dignity. That facility opened in 2005. Please see his website at www.you-shall-love.org. For information, call Eric at 542-9357.
To that end, Eric formed a nonprofit called VeAhavta, You Shall Love, which has expanded to include child care, medical care, day care and elder care in Sri Lanka. Clyde feels that Eric "embodies the spirit of Service above Self."
Eric became involved in Sri Lanka some years ago. He started off fundraising $20,000 to help an acquaintance start an orphanage. Somehow that morphed into buying property for $235,000 on the beach in Sri Lanka. The orphanage took over an abandoned hotel property, which was just perfect. There were 109 children there, but now there are 68.
He has been able to open a day care center for the children of working parents, and he has opened a care home for destitute elders so they can die in dignity. That facility opened in 2005. Please see his website at www.you-shall-love.org. For information, call Eric at 542-9357.
Eric continues to fundraise endlessly for his organization. One way is
for people to adopt a child for $30 or an elder for $40 a month.
Another way, of course, is to talk to folks like us. He said he is
trying to make a small difference in a country torn by civil war for 25
years. VeAhavta is nonprofit 501(c)(3) and is an interfaith
organization. He has also been able to open a mobile medical clinic
and a vocational school. The 7-acre campus is ideal for all the
different types of facilities he has been creating.
We are all welcome to visit his facilities and there are rooms set aside for volunteers very close to the beach. It is very hot and humid, but at last the long civil war is over. The country's president is trying very hard to resolve all the issues that started the war in the first place.
Joyce Bunting said we have $10,000 left over in our Sri Lanka specific account, and she feels we should put the money to good use in helping Eric with his organization. President John echoed Joyce's statement and said we are working on obtaining matching grants from District 5240 and Rotary International to try to grow the $10,000 to $30,000.
We are all welcome to visit his facilities and there are rooms set aside for volunteers very close to the beach. It is very hot and humid, but at last the long civil war is over. The country's president is trying very hard to resolve all the issues that started the war in the first place.
Joyce Bunting said we have $10,000 left over in our Sri Lanka specific account, and she feels we should put the money to good use in helping Eric with his organization. President John echoed Joyce's statement and said we are working on obtaining matching grants from District 5240 and Rotary International to try to grow the $10,000 to $30,000.