An Appeal

                                                                                                     Date : June 21st 2013

Dear Friends,

As you are aware, due to heavy rainfall and flooding, a natural disaster of immense magnitude is unfolding in our beloved Uttarakhand. Significant loss of lives and property has been reported in many areas of Uttarakhand. As the natural disaster struck at the peak of the Dham Yatra and tourist season, thousands of pilgrims are stranded in the region. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.

The natural disaster coincided with the timing of our educational summer camps at different parts of Uttarakhand. Holding safety as the top priority, several of the camps were canceled, curtailed, or postponed due to the natural calamity. In addition, members of our Outreach Committee are in daily contact with on ground coordinators, counselors, and teachers to monitor the situation. A team of high school interns from Atlanta visiting the camps in the Rudraprayag area are safely back in Delhi thanks to the resourcefulness of the on ground coordinators. Since several of the camps were located in the Rudraprayag and Chamoli area which were particularly hard hit, we continue to monitor the situation closely.

From press reports, it appears that the central and state governments, the army, the ITBP are channelizing significant resources to alleviate the suffering but we know this will not be enough given the magnitude of the disaster. As a result, we are constituting an Uttarakhand Relief Fund to collect contributions which will be earmarked for this cause. Please contribute generously and also encourage your friends and family to do so. You can send in contributions by check (with notation Uttarakhand Relief Fund) or you can donate through the Payapal link (notation Uttarakhand Relief Fund) on our website, www.uttaranchal.org. Contributions can be made till July 31, 2013. 

We will also have a big push to raise funds for the Relief Fund at our upcoming convention on July 26-27. Let us work together to do whatever possible to help our fellow Uttarakhandis. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.

Respectfully,

Ajay Adhikari

UANA President