Dear Friends,
During this special time of the year we ask you to remember the children in Russia who rely on our help. With your support, the Russian Children’s Welfare Society (RCWS) continues to assist orphanages, homeless shelters, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers, in addition to providing scholarships for orphans.
Ten years ago, RCWS organized our first Yelka, a Russian Christmas and New Year's Party. It has become one of the largest and best-publicized events for disadvantaged children in Moscow. Last year, over 2,000 children were involved in RCWS holiday programs including a party at the Moscow's Big Circus. It is one of the most exciting projects sponsored by the Society.
Unfortunately, 2009 has been the most financially difficult year for non-profit organizations including RCWS. Due to the lack of funding, the Society must limit our Yelka activities this season. However, with the support of our local partners, we are planning the following celebrations for disadvantaged children whom we assist during this holiday season:
December 19, 2009 — Thanks to the generosity of the Northern Crown Foundation, a total of 350 disadvantaged children will attend the «Nutcracker on Ice» show and receive a gift of sweets at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.
December 20, 2009 — The RCWS team together with volunteers from the Cushman and Wakefield company will visit 30 disadvantaged children and refugees at the Holy Family Center near Moscow. Each child will receive a gift they have been dreaming about.
December 21, 2009 — The RCWS team with representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development as well as a professional actor dressed as Ded Moroz (Russian Santa Claus) will bring gifts to 134 children living at two local orphanages in Kolomna, Moscow region.
December 22, 2009 — The RCWS team with Ded Moroz will visit 45 children with facial deformities at the St. Vladimir Hospital in Moscow.
December 23, 2009 — RCWS will visit 40 children with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis being treated at the Sechenov Medical Academy. Each child will receive a gift of sweets from Ded Moroz.
January 10, 2010 — A Ded Moroz and RCWS volunteers will travel over 200 kilometers to visit and bring gifts to 300 children living at the shelter in the Nikolo-Solbinsky Convent and several villages in the Yaroslavl region. In addition to sweets, children will receive books.
Additionally, our volunteers will bring gifts to 17 children involved in the RCWS Grandma project, which helps grandmothers and single parents to keep their children or grandchildren from being abandoned to the orphanages.
Altogether, close to 900 children will participate in RCWS Yelka activities this winter. Please help us to continue this tradition of bringing Christmas cheer to sick and orphaned children in Russia. Every gift makes a difference and will impact the well-being of the thousands of children we help every year.
We thank you for your generosity and wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and a joyous New Year!
Sincerely,
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Vladimir P. Fekula
President |
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P. S. : You may wish to receive correspondence and updates about RCWS electronically. If so, please forward your current e-mail address to our office at main@rcws.org. This will enable you to receive information about the RCWS events more quickly.
Russian
