FCEE recieve $4,000 grant

Alexa Boyce

Staff Writer

Have you ever had an experience that so completely changes your life that nothing you do or say or see will ever be the same again? This is what happened to Svetlana Kobzar (04) before her junior year at Alma. While volunteering for three adoption agencies, Kobzar realized one of the pressing problems facing her home country, Ukraine. Ukraine has a growing number of orphaned chil-dren. In fact, UNICEF reported in 2002 that the country experienced a 50 percent increase in the number of orphaned children between 1995 and 2000. Kobzar and a few other students decided to help, forming a non-profit organization based at Alma College, Forgotten Children of Eastern Europe (FCEE).

Through its Adopt-an Orphanage program, FCEE helped Veselka, a poor orphanage in the small town of Borodianka near Kyev. Most of the children at Veselka have been relocated from Chernobyl Zone No. 1, the region nearest to the deadly 1986 radioactive disaster. 80 percent of these orphans have chronic health problems because of it. Last year, FCEE fundraised $15,000 with the help of Alma College faculty, students, local community and Rotary Clubs both locally and in Kyev. They were able to sent clothes, money for food and medicine, some toys and educational supplies. Aside from the donations, the Walk for Orphans that FCEE organized last April raised $2000.

This year they hope to raise $5000 to establish a fund for a scholarship to send a student annually to the Ukraine to volunteer with the orphanage. They hope that this scholarship will allow a freshman or sophomore to volunteer for the orphanage in Veselka and implement programs appropriate to the needs of the children. The student will also work with Rotary Clubs in Ukraine and visit Ukraine’s Children’s Foundations and other agencies that help to monitor orphanages. In this way the student can return to Alma with both a macro and micro view of how FCEE can better help the orphans. This student would then be required to do three presentations to service clubs and guide the FCEE through the next year’s work.

They have also established a Match-ing Grant project, which allows FCEE and the Rotary Clubs of Alma/St. Louis, Breckenridge, Shepherd, Ithaca and Petchersk to work together on a proj-ect supported by the District Rotary. Through this program, FCEE will receive $4000 in order to purchase educational tools for the orphanage. This includes two computers with Internet connections, books, and backpacks. The computers are the largest donation, because in this way FCEE can communicate easily with the orphanage.

There are many things that Alma students can still do to help these orphans. FCEE’s main priority right now is the Walk for Orphans. Kobzar requests that students spread the word. Anyone wearing an orange ribbon can answer questions, and there are many more ribbons for those who would like to wear one. Student Organizations can also encourage their members to walk and donate money to become sponsors of the walk. These organizations will be allowed to have a table at the walk featuring promotional materials. There will also be T-shirts available for purchase later in the semester. Any questions or re-quests for ribbons should be directed to: Svetlana Kobzar svetta82@hotmail (989) 463-6697 or Shabnam Mirsaeedi smirsaeedi@yahoo x8074.

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