School Book Drive Collects 7,800+ Books for Schools & Libraries

Last week, students at Esperanza High School in Anaheim, California held a book drive for Visions and collected over 7,800 books! It was an exceptional effort organized by ASB student leaders, Yvonne & Mignotae, and supported by the entire school. Approximately 2,300 culturally-appropriate academic textbooks, children's books, fiction and nonfiction works, and other books were sorted and will be shipped to local schools in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The remaining 5,500 books were donated to four grateful local libraries in Placentia, Anaheim, Orange, and Yorba Linda, California. Thank you to all who supported this fantastic effort. The books being shipped to Sri Lanka will serve Visions youth for many years to come.

It took Visions staff 3 days to sort through the thousands of books, which will be shipped to Sri Lanka and are due to arrive in Colombo on December 14, 2008. The books have been donated to Saiva Mangaiyar Vidyalayam (Hindu Ladies College), a school based in Sri Lanka's capital of Colombo which now serves over 2400 children, including many recently displaced youth. The school is run by Saiva Mangaiyar Kalagam, a nonprofit organization which Visions is partnering with on the Kalagam Visions Learning Centre (KVLC--due to begin construction shortly). The books will be added to the school's library and incorporated into the KVLC once it is complete. The teachers and students are very grateful to receive this generous donation.

Photo Shoot Fundraiser held in San Diego

San Diego professional photographer Anouk Vashe (www.anoukvashe.com) held a fundraiser for Visions on June 14th at her studio in North Park, San Diego. Anouk planned and organized the fundraiser, drawing upon her own talents and skills. This is a perfect example for how YOU can get involved with Visions too...be creative and do what you're best at, what you're passionate about. This photo shoot fundraiser raised a small amount of money for both Visions and Anouk's program fee in Kenya this summer when she volunteers with Visions. Congrats, Anouk, and thank you for your support!

Anouk at her studio in North Park, San Diego, CA

You too can organize your own fundraiser or event. More and more people are getting behind our organization in this manner. We encourage you to think of what you can do to help us help youth in Sri Lanka, Kenya, and (as of this summer) India. We look forward to working with you!

Visions Photo Shoot Fundraiser: June 14th

In just a few days professional photographer Anouk Vashe will open up her studio in San Diego (North Park) for seriously discounted prices in order to raise money for the Visions Leadership & Empowerment Camps in Kenya this summer. On Saturday, June 14th from 1:00-6:00pm Anouk will be holding private photo shoots at significantly discounted rates. The money will benefit the Visions summer camps (50% of the proceeds), as well as Anouk's trip to Kenya to work directly with the youth this August.

For the entire day Anouk will be scheduling people interested in taking professional photos of themselves, their family, their friends...you decide! There is NO sitting fee. Pricing is $25 for 3 shots, $50 for 10 shots, or $75 for 20 shots. All images (corrected & edited) will be burned on a CD and given to you then and there. We would love to have your support in this unique fundraising effort. To sign up, simply email gtbuie@gmail.com. All the details of the event, including location, will be mailed to you.

We would appreciate it very much if you could please share this unique opportunity with your friends and contacts as well. Thank you very much! Hope to see you there~

Local Volunteer Organizes Supply Drive

Special thanks are due to Elaine Lin, a junior at Esperanza High School in Anaheim, CA, for organizing a supplies drive for the Visions Leadership & Empowerment Camps in Sri Lanka & Kenya this summer. By reaching out to other student organizations on campus, friends, and local businesses, Elaine was able to raise roughly $700 in supplies and money for Visions. Elaine took the personal initiative to contact Visions and organize this effort independently, as she was simply interested in get involved and helping others who have so little. With her help most of the items on the Visions Wishlist have now been removed, as we are near our goal of getting all the supplies for the summer camps donated. There are, however, a few items left, including many books. So if you would like to help, please visit our Wishlist here (Visions Wishlist 2008) and help us help the youth in Sri Lanka & Kenya have a meaningful educational experience this summer. Thank you, Elaine, and all those who took part in this drive. It is heroes like you that drive our organization...

We want YOU to join Visions!

The growth of Visions over the past few months has been incredibly exciting (and challenging) for those of us behind the organization. And we need your continued support to help build this nonprofit into something even better! This is an open invitation to ANY & ALL persons who are interested in getting involved in the nonprofit field, in helping disadvantaged youth & orphans, in building communities & local capacity so that we may one day live in a more equitable and prosperous world. Whether you have a ton of experience or none at all, you are welcome to join us. Visions relies heavily on the support of volunteers (locally and abroad) and could not function without the generous support of committed individuals who share our passion to change the world.

You can help by offering your professional services (particularly IT, website, financial, legal, marketing, nonprofit, etc.), by volunteering your time either locally or abroad for any amount of time, by helping Visions to network and reach out to as many people as possible, by planning and organizing your own event or fundraiser, by starting your own local chapter of Visions in your city, by attending a Visions event or fundraiser, by getting a corporate contribution from your company or encouraging them to participate in an employee matching program, or by simply making a donation. The possibilities are endless. But we need your help. We are growing, and we want you to be a part of it. This is such an exciting time for us. Please join us and help us to make a real, lasting impact on the lives of young people in Sri Lanka & Kenya!

‘Fashions at the Cove’ Raises $2,721.47 for Visions Summer Leadership Camps

The 1^st Annual ‘Fashions at the Cove’ Charity Fashion Show to benefit Visions was held on Thursday, April 17^th at the La Jolla Cove Suites in beautiful Downtown La Jolla. Over 120 guests attended the event, which raised $2,721.47 for the annual Visions Summer Leadership Camps in Sri Lanka and Kenya. With the help of many volunteers, including 15 gorgeous models, a DJ, an MC, a few former Visions summer volunteers, and several others, the event went incredibly well. The setting and weather could not have been more perfect either.

The event was planned by Trent Holland, a graduating senior at UC San Diego who is volunteering in Kenya this summer, and Visions Co-Director Greg Buie. Special thanks are due to the La Jolla Cove Suites for generously donating the incredible venue with picturesque views of the ocean and beaches, professional photographer Anouk Vashe for her beautiful photos at no charge to Visions, Chillers Clothing, LF La Jolla, Dreamgirls Boutique, all the models and volunteers, and all who came to the event and/or donated to the cause. We are extremely grateful for your
support!

Upcoming Visions Events--Get Involved!

There are several new Visions events coming up soon. Learn about our efforts--get involved--support important initiatives to help give opportunities to underprivileged youth. We need your help! For more information on any of the events listed below or to RSVP, please email gtbuie@gmail.com. Thank you!

'Fashions at the Cove' Charity Fashion Show
Thursday, April 17th
5:00-7:00pm
La Jolla Cove Suites rooftop, La Jolla, CA
Tickets: $15-students; $25-Community
**Tickets are still available!**

Social Fundraiser
Friday, May 23rd
5:30-8:30pm
New York City, NY

Sri Lanka Young Professionals Conference:
Education & Development in Sri Lanka
Sunday, May 25th
9:00am-3:00pm
Columbia University, New York City, NY

'Going Global in an IT World':
Workshop for 2 proposed IT Institutes in Sri Lanka
Saturday, June 21st
9:00am-5:00pm
Moore Hall, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
**We are looking for speakers and participants who are
knowledgeable in the realm of IT & computers**

'Fashions at the Cove' Charity Fashion Show: Fashion, Fun, Philanthropy!

Come support Visions and efforts to help uplift disadvantaged youth and communities in Sri Lanka & Kenya, by attending 'Fashions at the Cove', a Charity Fashion Show to be held on Thursday, April 17th, 2008 from 5:00-7:00pm on the rooftop of the La Jolla Cove Suites Hotel in La Jolla. Come enjoy the fashion, music, food, presentations, and beautiful panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and La Jolla beaches during sunset, while raising money for a good cause!

You are officially invited to attend this event, and we encourage you to bring as many family or friends as you like. Tickets will be $15.00 for students and $25.00 for all other community members.

As you may or may not know, one key element of Visions is the Visions Leadership Camp, a number of which take place annually during the summer time. The funds of this charity fashion show will go towards funding this summer's camps—1 large one in Sri Lanka and 2 smaller ones in Kenya. In total, we will be directly training approximately 220 youth and 20 teachers across both countries.

If you are unable to attend but would still like to donate, you are most welcome to do so. Donations to Visions are tax-deductible [Tax ID code #95-3504080]. Please make checks out to "Operation USA" (Visions' fiscal sponsor) with "Visions" written on the subject line at the bottom left, and mail them to: 1861 Chalcedony St. #C, San Diego, CA, 92109. All donations are very much appreciated!

If you have any questions or would like to purchase/sell any tickets, just let us know. We can get those out to you ASAP. Email gtbuie@gmail.com or fashionsatthecove@gmail.com.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Map to La Jolla Cove Suites: click here

*Parking is not available at the hotel; please park at the La Jolla Financial Building (click here for a map) or find public parking on the streets or at a nearby lot.

*Confirmed Participating Designers/Boutiques:
Naomi Hwang & Jeremiah (Otis College)
Dreamgirls Boutique in Ocean Beach (shopdreamgirls.com)
LF Stores in La Jolla (LFstores.com)
Eric, Chillers Clothing (www.chillersclothing.com)

Apply Now! Visions 2008 Summer Leadership Camps!

Dear all prospective Visions volunteers,

Thank you all for expressing interest in Visions and in bettering the lives of disadvantaged young people in Sri Lanka and Kenya! We thrive on passionate and ambitious volunteers who want to make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of children who have faced hardship and adversity. After months of planning and preparation, we would formally like to invite you to apply to volunteer with our Visions Leadership Camps this summer in Sri Lanka and Kenya.

Please send us an email and we will be happy to send you the following documents that explain our organization, the summer camps, and the application process:

1. A letter of introduction about the Visions organization and the summer leadership camps for 2008.
2. A general explanation of the Visions summer camps, curriculum, daily schedules, and overall plan, which gives more insight into exactly what you will be doing by volunteering with Visions.
3. The Visions Application & Release for prospective volunteers, which should be filled out and returned to us along with a $35 application fee.
4. An update on the Visions summer 2008 camps in both Sri Lanka and Kenya, which contains pertinent information about planning and applying for the Visions camps. Please read this, as it covers very important information about the tentative nature of the scheduled dates and camp locations.

If you would like to request a printed copy of these introduction and application materials, we will be happy to mail you a copy if you provide us with your mailing address. Otherwise, please print and read over the attached information in full, and send your application back to us as soon as you are ready. If you have any questions or concerns, please email or call us, and we will be happy to help. We look forward to hearing from you!

All the best,

~The Visions Team

Greg Buie
Visions Co-Director
gtbuie@gmail.com
714.315.0518

www.visionsforthefuture.org

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."--Gandhi

Kalagam Visions Learning Centre (KVLC)--We Need Your Help!!

Introducing the Kalagam Visions Learning Centre (Colombo)...

Working in partnership with Saiva Mangaiyar Kalagam, a Sri Lanka-based nonprofit, construction and development of the KVLC will begin in early 2008. This multistoried learning center will house a Visions office, ample space for student groups and activities (including aesthetics) from the adjacent school (Saiva Mangaiyar Vidyalayam), halls for special trainings and English, a computer lab, a multimedia room, and a Montessori nursery. Over 400 refugee children from the Northeast will benefit from this project, as well as countless other disadvantaged and deserving youth and teachers!

Financial Estimates for the KVLC

Land: US $400,000
*12 perches of land in Colombo already donated by Saiva Mangaiyar Kalagam as their initial contribution
*Location: 22 Rudra Mawatha, Colombo 06, Sri Lanka

Building: US $320,000
*Cost is approx. US $80,000 per floor x 4 floors (Phase 1)
*Visions/Operation USA donated the first 2 floors of the building with US $160,000
*Private donations have so far amounted to US $10,000

Total Estimated Cost: US $720,000

Donations Received to-date: US $570,000

Amount Still Needed: US $150,000

We need your help—please donate to this important project today! Please send donations to either one of the following:

Hindu Women’s Society
23, Rudra Mawatha
Colombo 06
Sri Lanka

**Please make checks payable to: 'Hindu Women's Society'

Visions
1621 Barry Ave. #PH1
Los Angeles, CA 90025
U.S.A.

**Please make your tax-exempt donation (in USA) by sending a check payable to ‘Operation USA’ [Tax ID#95-3504080], specifying ‘Visions—KVLC’ on the subject line.

"Lighting the Way" Event in Pasadena was a success!

This past Saturday, January 26th in Pasadena, California, Visions held an event to share exciting news about the Kalagam Visions Learning Centre and the growth of our organization in general. "Lighting the Way", the theme of this event, was inspired by the work of Saiva Mangaiyar Kalagam (SMK), a nonprofit women's society in Sri Lanka. SMK is committed to bettering the lives of young people in Sri Lanka through education, including culture and language, and general student support. The main focus of SMK is their all girls school located in Colombo, which has recently absorbed more than 400 internally displaced children.

Mrs. Sivanandini Duraiswamy, President of the organization, traveled from Sri Lanka for this inauguration event to establish a partnership between Visions (visionsforthefuture.org), Operation USA (opusa.org), and Saiva Mangaiyar Kalagam(mangaiyarkalagam.org). These three organizations will be working closely to develop the Kalagam Visions Learning Centre in Colombo. This new learning centre will house a nursery, Visions office, computer lab, multimedia room, large hall for special events and training sessions, and rooms for students activities and music/dance. It is an exciting project that will benefit disadvantaged Tamil youth in Colombo, many of whom have fled the Northeast or will be brought to Colombo, for years to come.

We thank those of you who came to learn more about Visions' continued efforts to provide education, entrepreneurship, and empowerment to disadvantaged youth! If you would like to donate to the Kalagam Visions Learning Centre fund, please send checks (made out to 'Operation USA' with 'Visions--Learning Centre' written on the subject line) to:

Visions
1621 Barry Ave. #PH1
Los Angeles, CA 90025

"All good things we build end up building us."--Jim Rohn