Newsletter spacer Summer 2010    
  Message from the Directors
Bill and Nancy Bamberger
Bill and Nancy

Hi Everyone,

We are thrilled to send out our first newsletter to let you know that the Cambodian Village Fund is gaining momentum. The word is spreading because of you, our friends and loyal supporters, who have come to the fundraisers and helped us in so many ways. We could not have this dream of building a school for the children in Cambodia if it were not for you.

The Cambodian Village Fund is now on Facebook. Check us out and join our group to learn about our progress helping to educate the children of Cambodia.

Ginger Allen has joined our team and become a key player. Nancy met Ginger in Yoga class. On Ginger’s recent trip around the world last November, she made a stop at the village and sponsored an ice cream party for the children at the primary school. Ginger met many people in the village, including an English-speaking monk, Vy Sovechea. Sovechea has Internet access and email, which has greatly increased the speed of communications between us and the village. He has become our main link with local officials.

Ginger
Ginger Allen in Cambodia

Ginger organized a fundraiser at her granddaughter’s school in Solana Beach. See the article in this newsletter for details.

Our school project will cost $100,000. To raise that much money we have to supplement donations from friends and family with grants from foundations. We gave a talk to Soroptimist International in La Jolla at their monthly breakfast meeting. If you have connections to a foundation or organization that would be interested in learning about the Cambodian Village Fund, please let us know.

We are grateful for the gift from Froman Barrett, a gentle and kind man, who passed away in June at the age of 90. He was our dear friend and neighbor. He was born poor, endured the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, was wounded in World War II, and then came home to build a beautiful life. He worked hard, was devoted to his family and achieved the American dream. He loved children and valued education. He requested that donations be made to the Cambodian Village Fund in his memory. The way he lived his life was truly inspirational and he leaves a big hole in our hearts.

Froman Barrett
Froman Barrett

We are thankful to be a part of this wonderful project. We are in awe of the generous, caring people we have met along the way who have supported us in our efforts and given so much. We have bonded with the San Diego Cambodian community and found many new friends. We’ve gone to temple and feasted on delicious Cambodian cuisine.

Bill with the Monks
Bill with the Monks
It is an honor and a joy to be part of an effort that truly changes lives. With your continued help, we will build that school.

Bill and Nancy Bamberger

Stones to Schools

Book presented to Bill and Nancy from Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, with this inscription:

“Thank you for helping our friends in Cambodia.”


Visit us on

facebook link
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Current Project--The New Classroom Building
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We're working on our most ambitious project to date, raising funds to construct a classroom building for the children in the village of Prey Tauch, Cambodia. The temple next door to the school graciously donated the land where the new classroom building will stand.
To prepare this land, 8500 cubic yards of fill dirt was dug from another site that was purchased by our Cambodian advisor Man Seorn. The hole where the fill dirt was removed is now a pond, used by the villagers for drinking water, laundry, and raising fish. We have a short video of the fill project on our website.
school site
On the site of their future school
school site
The current school in Prey Tauch
The primary school currently has 16 small classrooms for the 700 school children. With an average class size of 45, the existing classrooms are stretched to capacity.
The existing buildings need extensive repairs. One of the buildings is in danger of being condemned and taken out of service. The new classroom building will give the children a safer environment and more room to learn.
children in class

In November, a Cambodian architect drew up detailed plans, a list of materials and a budget for the first 5-classroom module. Our goal is to begin construction on this module this year. Our only deterrent is the $57,000 cost for the first 5-classroom building ($100,000 for two buildings). We’ve had several successful fundraising efforts (see next article) and have started looking for grants from foundations as well.

new school

Three Successful Fundraisers
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This last spring, we were very busy raising money. We had three successful events in three months, raising a total of $8,000.
Arati Lane
Arati Teaches Yoga Class
On March 27, 2010, our friend Arati Lane, a certified Yoga instructor, volunteered her time to conduct a Yoga class.

Thirty people attended the yoga class held at the Kensington Community Church generating over $900 for the school.

Chris Hassett
Chris Hassett
On April 30th, we had our biggest fundraiser to date—a concert by San Diego singer-songwriter Chris Hassett. The concert made over $5,000! It was produced by AMSD Concerts and held at the Normal Heights United Methodist Church.
Over 150 people heard Chris’s beautiful baritone voice singing old standards and many new songs written by Chris. A special surprise was a song Chris wrote for the Cambodian Village Fund, “We Are the Village.” You can see Chris perform his song on our website.
In May, our friend, Ginger Allen, organized an "Olympathon" at Skyline Elementary School in Solana Beach. About 50 children did an hour of games and running to raise money for our school. A Solana Beach city council member congratulated the kids and two newspapers ran stories and pictures of the event. We made $2,000 and plan to purchase playground equipment with the money.
kids with hula hoops
Skyline students
Cambodian kids
Students from the village

Track Record--the Financial Picture
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Financial Summary
  Donations Expenses Money to Cambodia Money in Bank
2006 $2,318 $16 $1,000 $1,302
2007 $2,078 $0 $2,940 $440
2008 $5,457 $300 $0 $5,597
2009 $3,180 $829 $5,261 $2,687
2010 $10,067 $454 $0 $12,300
TOTAL $23,100 $1,599 $9,201  

The Cambodian Village Fund has raised over $23,000 and distributed over $9,000 to the village. There is currently over $12,000 in the bank, earmarked for the school.

The first project, in 2006, costing $1,000, was for bicycles, food, supplies, and clothing given to ten families. A big dinner was also served to all the people in the village. The next project, in 2007, costing about $3,000, was for 720 school uniforms for the children (along with flip flops and some school supplies). In 2009, $5,000 was used for digging a pond and preparing the land for the construction of the school.

We work hard to keep expenses to a bare minimum. The bylaws prohibit anyone from taking a salary or using funds for travel. The directors receive no compensation and handle all the project management, website development and graphic design at no cost to the Fund. The “on-the-ground” Cambodian team finds the best prices and makes the money stretch for the projects.

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Thanks to everyone who supports the children and for all the work you’ve done!
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Please help us build the school. You can make a tax deductible donation at our website: www.cambodianvillagefund.org Or, you can send a check, payable to Cambodian Village Fund
c/o Bill and Nancy Bamberger
4376 Argos Drive
San Diego, CA 92116

 
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  Cambodian Village Fund   •   info@cambodianvillagefund.org   •   cambodianvillagefund.org