October 26th, 2015

Dear Members,

The new Executive Committee of SLCAO is pleased to announce four(4) long term initiatives to be established in this tenure (2015/2016);

SLCAO Building Fund

The main objective of this fund is to build enough capital to finance a Sri Lankan Community Center in the future. Money collected will be invested in a long term growth mutual funds and purchased via TD Waterhouse brokerage. The exact type of investment equity will be the decision of the Executive Committee (current and future) based on market conditions with advice from a licensed Investment Advisor.

SLCAO Scholarship Fund

The main objective of this fund is to build enough capital to finance an ongoing program of providing scholarships to an underprivileged school/individual. The founding stone to this initiative was placed when SLCAO undertook and implemented a Scholarship fundraiser in the 2013/14 EC year to a Primary school in Mangala Eliya in Sri Lanka (see youtube video here http://tinyurl.com/ng3xu6r). At the 2013 Christmas party $500 was raised for this purpose and Past President Roshan Fernando personally delivered it to the School in Sri Lanka. At the 2015 Sinhala and Tamil New Year Celebration, $480 was raised for scholarships. On request of Past President Naradha Kodithuwakku, $150 be allocated to Mahamaya Alumini Association’s scholarship fund for a scholarship under the name of SLCAO and the rest to the new scholarship fund.

Moving forward from this year, monies raised for Scholarships will not be distributed, instead it will be invested in the SLCAO Scholarship Fund. The returns of the investment will be used to fund the SLCAO Scholarship program. While we hope to raise as much as possible in the current year at least to fund 1 or 2 students, the majority of the benefit would be in the upcoming years. The Executive Committee will decide as to which underprivileged school/individual to be funded.

Money collected will be invested in dividend/income equity fund and purchased via TD Waterhouse brokerage. The exact type of investment equity will be the decision of the Executive Committee (current and future) based on market conditions with advice from a licensed Investment Advisor.

SLCAO Back to the Community Program

Starting from the 1st of January, SLCAO will start to donate $10 monthly to each of the registered Sri Lankan institutions (charity/not for profit) in Ottawa. So far there are 3 such institutions. Namely Ottawa Theravada Buddhist Vihara (1153 St. Pierre Street), Hilda Jayewardenaramaya Buddhist Monastery & meditation centre (1481 Heron Road) and Ottawa Buddhist Vihara (4 Christie Street). Each year the EC can evaluate the amount in concern. We hope to see this amount grow over time.

SLCAO Seniors Activity Program

As the Canadian demographics change, and the senior population overtakes that of the younger population, SLCAO has taken a step towards addressing this change by adding a new Senior Activities Coordinator Mrs. Olive Nelson at the recent Annual General Meeting. This position is amalgamated with the Chair Ottawa Central for now.

Objectives are:
• Prevent / reduce isolation of seniors
• Appreciation of seniors in the community
• Enable seniors to continue being an integral part of the community, while keeping their dignity and sense of well being

• Enrich the lives of our seniors in the community

While we embark on planning activities within our community, we request to send us your ideas, opinions and recommendations you have towards successfully planning and/or implementing these new initiatives.

Please stay tuned for the upcoming fund raisers to support these causes.

Thank you

Executive Committee
SLCAO

Reference:
FaceBook Post: https://www.facebook.com/SriLankaCanadaAssociationOfOttawaslcao/posts/1186992187994326