OLD GIRLS ASSOCIATION - MEDERATA BRANCH
Inaugurated in 1981.
THE BEGINNINGS:
The inaugural meeting was held at the residence of Mrs. Srini Karunaratne with about 65 members from Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya and Kegalla. The parent body was represented at this meeting by Mrs. Nela De Zoysa and Mrs. Kamala Karunaratne. The founder president of the Mederata OGA was Dr. Mrs. Lalitha Katugaha and the secretary was Mrs. Sri Karunaratne.
There were several executive committees such as social activities and religious activities etc. with a convenor for each committee. The purpose was to involve the general membership in planning and organizing the activities. In due course however, the system has been replaced by a single executive committee.
AIMS:
To bring together Visakhians living around the Kandy district in order to:
- To foster fellowship among them and their families.
- To maintain contact with Visakha Vidyalaya and contribute to its progress.
- To serve the communities in which the Mederata Visakhians now live.
MEMBERSHIP:
Membership is open to Visakhians living in and around the Central Province. The most senior member, Mrs. Lena Jayatunga from Matale, never failed to attend meetings until she passed away a few years ago.
MEETINGS:
General meetings are held every first Monday of the month at the residence of Mrs. Priyani Rajapakse at Sangharaja Mawatha. Representatives from the parent body are invited for the Annual General Meeting.
SCHOOL-RELATED ACTIVITIES:
The Mederata OGA awards two prizes at the Annual School Prize giving.
- student with the best results in medicine at the A'levels (2nd prize)
- student with the best results in Physics at the A'levels (2nd prize)
LINKS WITH THE PARENT BODY:
The Mederata OGA has always maintained close contact with the parent body. Representatives from the Mederata VVOGA attend the Annual General Meetings of the Colombo OGA and also other special events like the Pulimood Oration. Some members participated in the "Visakha Walk" and helped with the sale of souvenirs which were put out for the occasion. The two associations host each other whenever the Colombo OGA visits Kandy. The Mederata OGA also provides meals to visiting school teams.
FOUNDER'S DAY:
It has been the practice of the Mederata OGA to make a cash donation to provide meals for needy children in memory of Mrs. Jeremias Dias. We have supported Jayawickrema Children's Home at Bahirawakanda, The Home for the Blind and Deaf Children at Dodanwela and the Saran Sevana Boys' Home at Mawilmada. We are very grateful to Mrs. VagDevi Fernando, Managing Director of Commercial Credit and a past pupil of Visakha for helping us with these projects.
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES:
A variety of activities such as Cookery Demonstrations, Flower Arranging, Table Decor, Vegetable Carving and Pottery Painting have been organized as a follow-up to the general meetings. These activities are open to guests as well.
Fun-filled family trips to places like Kotmale and "Tree of Life Hotel" at Yahalatenne are very popular and are eagerly awaited by the members and their families.
The dinner social which follows the Annual General Meeting is another popular event in the Mederata OGA calendar. Husbands and children join in the games and singing and male voices can be heard singing the Visakha School Song.
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES:
Many religious activities have been organized by the Mederata OGA. These include Dhamma sermons by Venerable bhikkus as well as lay speakers. Mr. Godwin Somaratne, a well known teacher of meditation, has conducted several meditation sessions. These activities are open to guests as well. Every Vesak, a "Sil" programme for members and guests with Dhamma talks, discussions and meditation is organized at the home of Mrs. Lali Edisuriya.
SERVICE PROJECTS:
The first project was the setting up and maintaining the "sick Baby Unit" at the Kandy Hospital. The Mederata VVOGA provided special incubator cots, a sterilizer, syringes and much needed drugs. In addition, members visited the unit on a regular basis to see to the needs of the children. Dr. Mrs. Chandra Rajapakse, was the convenor of this project.
Another hospital service project was the distribution of toilet requisites to patients in the cancer ward. A donation of stretchers was made to the Army Hospital and some members visited the hospital with gift packs for the wounded soldiers. The Mederata OGA has also contributed to the National Defense Fund.
SRI SUBODHA LAMA NIVASAYA:
In 1998, the Mederata OGA launched its most ambitious project, which was to help establish the Sri Subodha Lama Nivasaya, which is a home for boys who have lost one or both parents due to the ongoing war. At present there are 23 boys, both Sinhala and Tamil at the Home. Funds were raised by staging a benefit show; Indu Dharmasena's "Dress Rehearsal". The entire proceeds were given for the establishment of the Home. Some of the Mederata OGA members are on the Ladies Committee who oversees the day to day running of the Home. Those wishing to provide meals for a day could do so by sending Rs. 1500/= and naming any special dates.
FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES:
From its inception the "Avurudu Pola' has been one of the sources of raising funds for the Mederata OGA activities. The "Pola" which is held every other year offers a wide variety of consumer items ranging from groceries to exotic plants at bargain prices. Cookery, Floral and Table Decor displays and demonstrations as well as refreshments are also a feature of the "Avurudu Pola".
Other fund raising activities include a fashion show by Rekha Jayawardena, a past pupil, at which a former Mrs. World, Ms. Rosy Senanayake, was the chief guest.
FUTURE PROJECTS:
A project is planned to help Visakhians studying in the faculties of Medicine, Engineering, Veterenary and Dental Sciences in the Peradeniya University. There are hardly any Visakhians in the faculties of Arts and Science.
PRESENT COMMITTEE (1998/1999):
| President: | Ms. Malkanthi De Silva (nee Karunaratna) |
| Vice Presidents: | Prof. Dr. Malkanthie Chandrasekera (nee Balasuriya) |
| Ms. Damayanthi Sumithrarachchi (nee Bamunusinghe) | |
| Hony. Treasurer: | Ms. Swarna Ratnayaka (nee Perera) |
| Secretaries: | Ms. Janaki Abeysinghe (nee Dharmadasa) |
| Ms. Indra Unamboowe (nee Dambawinne) |
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