MOTHER’S DAY DINNER DANCE - DANCE FOR A WORTHY CAUSE
(photos by: Anton Rowel & gamini Edirisinghe)
By a special correspondent ‘Sri Lankan Patriots’ organization in Los Angeles celebrated the Mothers Day with a fundraising dinner dance. The fundraiser was held at the Peacock Gardens Indian Restaurant in Diamond Bar, California on May 08, 2010 to collect funds for the Pangolla Ranaviru Gama Community Center project in Ibbagamuwa, Sri Lanka. The music was played by the popular Sri Lankan music band in South California, ‘Vernon and the Strangers’, and everybody thoroughly enjoyed the catchy tunes played by them.
On May 8, 2010, ‘Sri Lankan Patriots’ also had a raffle draw at the MOTHERS DAY DINNER DANCE to support the above project. The first prize was a 17 piece Dankotuwa porcelain Tea Set and the grand prize was a Lenovo Netbook computer. The winning tickets were respectively drawn by Ms.Thejani Fernando and Ms. Barbara Dharmadasa, and the winners were, Saul Ramos of Palmdale, California for the First Prize and Naomal Siriwardena of Riverside, California for the Grand Prize. Mr. Jude Abeygunartne and Mr. Tissa Samaranayake drew the consolation prizes donated by Mr. Lakshman Wickramaarachchi of Luxury Perfumes, and they were won by Sam Jayah of Los Angeles and Ravi de Silva of Arcadia. The drawing of the prizes was done under the scrutiny of Mr. L. B. Tillakaratne and Mr. Upul Dharmadasa of Upul Travels.
As a Sri Lankan organization in Los Angeles, the 'Sri Lankan Patriots' are helping the disabled soldiers and their families in Sri Lanka. - they have done many projects such as donating artificial legs, gel socks and constructing disabled accessible bathrooms. Since January 2008, they have been collecting funds to build a Community Center, complete with a computer center, library and gathering hall, for the Pangolla Ranaviru Village in Ibbagamuwa. There are around 300 school aged children living in this remote village who will benefit from this Community Center.
This Community center is a gift from SRI LANKANS in LOS ANGELES to the Ranaviru families in this Ranaviru village, who had sacrificed so much for our country. Last August, the construction was started by laying down the foundation and the work is in progress. Nearly 3000 sq. ft. building is estimated to cost $40,000 and, ‘Sri Lankan Patriots’ have so far collected $25,000. They need $15, 000 to complete the project.
Sri Lankan Patriots say they need your support for this worthy cause. They request you to take part in their fundraising events or send a donation. So many mothers in SRI LANKA lost their sons and many wives lost their husbands to eradicate terrorism from our Motherland. Today, our motherland is free from terrorism that plagued her for 30 long years. Our brave soldiers made many sacrifices. They gave their lives and limbs for the future of Sri Lanka. Now, it is our turn to take care of the well being of them and their families.
