Thursday, May 15, 2008

Team Cambodia tops $30,000 goal

Ryan Wolfe, center, gives a check to Michael Conn for Team Cambodia. Looking on is Tony Snyder, of the Milton Moose. (Photo: Wayne Laepple/The Daily Item)

Teachers, students, community raise money to build school

Milton Area Senior High School social studies teacher Michael Conn was ecstatic as he accepted a check for $335 from Ryan Wolfe.

May 15, 2008
By Wayne Laepple
The Daily Item (Sunbury, Pennsylvania, USA)


MILTON -- Milton Area Senior High School social studies teacher Michael Conn was ecstatic as he accepted a check for $335 from Ryan Wolfe.

That check, presented Tuesday night, brought total donations to Team Cambodia to $30,635, surpassing the $30,000 goal set for the fund drive in December. The money will be used to build and staff a school in Cambodia.

The fund actually went over the top on Friday, when a benefit concert was held in the high school auditorium, but the additional money is welcome nonetheless, Conn said.

The check Wolfe gave to Conn represents the proceeds from "Milton Idol," a contest held at the Jungle, the teen club at the Milton Moose Family Center.

"We raised these funds in four months and 26 days," Conn said. "There were a lot of people who were skeptical that we'd be able to raise this kind of money in Milton."

"I'm proud of the kids, and I'm proud of the community," he continued. "This project has had a galvanizing effect."

Conn said additional money that may come in will be used to offset the cost for several students to make the trip to Cambodia in December, when a delegation from Milton will go to Cambodia to help dedicate the school, which is under construction in a village near the Mekong River. The school will be called the Milton School.

The travel company, American Council for International Studies, has waived a number of fees and charges for students and will include all meals, Conn said. The group will travel to Vietnam and Cambodia for nine days, from Dec. 4-13.

Last summer, Conn visited Cambodia and was moved by the poverty and lack of education in that country. He learned of the Educate Cambodia project and found that many schools were built there with donations from other countries, but only one school had been built with money from the United States.

He decided to try to raise funds in Milton to build a school, and with help of students and teachers throughout the district and contributions from hundreds of people throughout the region, that goal has been met.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your great help to the school for Cambodian children make us impressed. Thanks a lot

Anonymous said...

Prior to the war in the 70's more than 90% of Khmer owned their land. Schooling are avail to all areas in the country. Life had been a peaceful until...the devil arrived.
First destroy...then play God.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but those schools didn't do anyone any good. Nothing have changed for Khmer people all around the globe. I have not seen anything factually impressive, but a good paint job using rhetorics and euphemisms.

Anonymous said...

That's great! Thank you much.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much. May God bless your good hearts. You can be sure that your money will make a difference of some lives in Cambodia.

Long live good-hearted people like yourself Tony. Thank you,

Chan,

Anonymous said...

mr. ryan wolfe, you have a heart of gold. your gift and contribution will last for eternity in cambodia. thank you for helping to build school in cambodia. god bless you and your family.

Anonymous said...

in cambodia, we have a saying that education is priceless, whereas material stuff comes and goes. thank you for your contribution to this cause. god bless you.

Anonymous said...

Those negative comments could have come from the damn foreigners all around us. Every Khmer should be grateful and appreciative of the wonderful things our friends are doing for us. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and love you carry aross a vast ocean to help the hapless in Cambodia. God bless America and her wonderful people. Love you guys and I thank you once again. The devils are in pain, great pain, when they notice wonderful deeds come to Cambodia. Dead to the devils. God is good.

Anonymous said...

3:35AM,

Ignorance is not a bliss!!! And your comment is obvious. Read more. Knowledge is power. No religion crap, please--just facts. Khmer mentality is vulnerable and ease to steer, and you are such of an example. Suggestion on reading: Sideshow.

Anonymous said...

Your stupidity is a shame to your own self,7:31 AM

Think of what you have, and how do you have them. What sort of opportunity have you possessed by your own power - mind and ability? Don't be a croc. Be thankful of every thing unless you're capable of elevating yourself by your own power. You're one little despicable person who will get hurt by your own stupidity. You have a big sore in your back. A friendly and sincere touch on it and you have so much pain. Yes you're that weak. Relax and be mature with thankfulness. You're now no body's friend. You're despised. This world is getting darker and you're as helpless as a drowning dog.

Anonymous said...

7:47,

I wish I can understand you! I already waste enough time here. Good luck to you. Bye