VeAhavta is pleased to report that the "Conceptual Plan for House of Peace Ecumenical Centre ('HOPE Centre')" has been formally accepted by the Buddhist community in Trincomalee.

The Buddhist community's acceptance was communicated to VeAhavta by Rev. K. Pangnatissa, the highly respected priest of Sri Bodipada Paramaya in Trincomalee, and can be read here.

The HOPE Centre Conceptual Plan has now been formally accepted by each of the four main faith communities in Trincomalee -- Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Muslim.

To read more about HOPE Centre, please click here. Donations to the program may be made on-line or by mail.

The next stage in the development of HOPE Centre is to refine the bylaws that will govern use of the facility, which will be primarily the work of the clerics involved in the project.

VeAhavta expects to begin construction of HOPE Centre sometime this year.

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We are very pleased to report that formal acceptance and support of the "Conceptual Plan for House of Peace Ecumenical Centre ('HOPE Centre')" by the Muslim community in Trincomalee has been communicated to VeAhavta.

The Muslim community's acceptance was provided by Mohamed Fulool Vulith, the highly respected Imam of the Mohideen Jumah Mosque, on North Central Road, China Bay, Trincomalee, and can be read here.

The HOPE Centre Conceptual Plan has now been formally accepted by the Hindu, Christian and Muslim faith communities in Trincomalee. We anticipate that formal acceptance by the Buddhist community will be communicated to VeAhavta very soon.

To read more about HOPE Centre, please click here. Donations to the program may be made on-line or by mail.

VeAhavta expects to begin construction of HOPE Centre sometime in 2007.

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Stephen, a 7th grade student from Old Mission School in San Luis Obispo, California, has collected and donated school supplies for VeAhavta to be used by the children at Grace Home in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.

Stephen collected the supplies as part of his school service project. Among the three large boxes of items collected were pencils, erasers, crayons, markers, notebooks, notepads, paint and paintbrushes and glue sticks.

All of the items collected by Stephen will be sent to the Grace Care Center with our next group of visiting volunteers.

On behalf of VeAhavta and the children of Grace Home, thank you Stephen for your efforts and your kindness!

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Benefit concert raised $22,415 for VeAhavta

By James A. Mitchell
VeAhavta Press Officer

The introduction was familiar, having been said more than 8,000 times in the past 46 years, but the simple words never sounded so sweet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, from Detroit Michigan, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels," sang the voices of Subananthini, Mehalatha, Ramya and Nishanthini, residents of Grace Care Center orphanage in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.

The capacity crowd of 500 at Towsley Auditorium seemed to approve, offering heartfelt applause to the girls as the screen rose, bringing to the stage veteran rocker Ryder, making his second appearance to benefit VeAhavta. "The people were sincere about the cause," Ryder said of the audience. "I was honored to perform for them."

"For the Grace: A Concert of Hope" was held Friday, Jan. 12 at Washtenaw Community College in Ypsilanti, Michigan, starring Ryder and Blues Infusion, a rhythm-and-blues band featuring doctors from Ypsilanti's St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.

More than two dozen St. Joseph Mercy staff members have visited Grace Care Center, and volunteers helping to organize the concert included Drs. Naresh Gunaratnam, Cheryl Huckins and Gina Amalfitano. Ann Arbor area volunteers pitching in included Jim Mitchell, Erin Whaley, Colin Loomis, Tara Rondy and Lori Kostoff.

Tickets for the event included "Preferred seating" passes that featured a pre-show reception with Ryder, held at the offices of Huron Gastroenterology Associates, which is located on the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital campus. A silent auction of vintage wines and autographed Mitch Ryder albums (LPs) and CDs also raised funds for the cause. The total amount raised Friday was $22,415.

"Our goals, as always, were to raise funds and awareness," VeAhavta President Eric Parkinson said. "And we succeeded on both counts thanks to the passionate efforts of Mitch Ryder and our tireless volunteers in Michigan and the generosity -- once again -- of our many donors in the Ann Arbor area. These funds will go such a long way toward covering the rising expenses at our Grace Care Center in Trincomalee. My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who came together to make this such a memorable event."

[Please check back soon for photos from the concert.]

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We are pleased to report that formal acceptance of the "Conceptual Plan for House of Peace Ecumenical Centre ('HOPE Centre')" by the Hindu community in Trincomalee has been communicated to VeAhavta.

The Hindu community's acceptance was provided by Sri S. Ravichandrakurukkal, the highly respected Chief Priest and Head of the historic Pathirakali Amman Temple Thevasthanam in Trincomalee, and can be read here.

Sri Ravichandrakurukkal has, since 2001, attended all of the opennings at the Grace Care Center on behalf of the Hindu community and has been a faithful friend and partner.

To read more about HOPE Centre, please click here. Donations to the program may be made on-line or by mail.

VeAhavta expects to begin construction of HOPE Centre sometime in 2007.

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Calling all VeAhavta donors and volunteers: We need your help to encourage donors to attend the benefit concert on Jan. 12 starring Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels with special guests Blues Infusion.

As of the time of this article, 100 tickets for the event have been sold, but we still have 380 available. So please contact your friends, family members and associates and ask them to attend the concert. Tickets can be ordered on-line here. You can also download and distribute the official concert poster here (PDF or JPG).

All proceeds from the concert will be used for the maintenance and support of our Grace Care Center in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.

On behalf of the residents of the Grace Care Center, thank you for your support!

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