ICEC Building - Status Report
The construction work is in full swing at the ICEC site. The foundation as well as the concrete block walls of the retention pond and the walls of the first floor are complete. The concrete slab for the first floor will be poured before February 8, 1997. Mr. Frank Teeney, the construction supervisor, is coordinating all the activities, and Mr. K. P. Patel our general contractor, has been in charge of overall construction.
I want to emphasize that there is an urgent need to raise an additional $250,000 to complete the construction phase of the building. The executive board of trustees have decided to divide the state of Florida into ten regions. We hope that each region can raise $25,000 for the student center project. By this way, we can easily raise the needed $250,000 without any interruption of construction. However, the additional funding of $250,000 must be raised to complete the project by June 1997. Citrus County has already raised $18,000 of their allotted $25,000 fund raising. In Alachua County and Gainesville, we have raised an additional $14,000 and are requesting people to make new pledges or increase their donation from founding member to a higher level. We hope to make the student center a symbol of our hope for the future generations and our commitment to education and cultural values. For any suggestions regarding the construction or donations, please contact me or any of the other members of the executive board of trustees.
Paresh Desai, M.D., Chair, Construction Committee
ICEC Thanks Paras Mehta
The following describes a unique generous act by a young man among our midst.
Paras Mehta who recently came from Baroda, India to Gainesville, Florida with a dream to become a physician someday started his academic career at Santa Fe Community College. He also started working parttime in the cafeteria to support his education. Recently, he told ICEC that it is a tradition in his family to give the first salary or income to a good cause and therefore he would like to give his entire three weeks earnings, $150, to ICEC for the benefit of needy students or the ICEC Student Center Project. Paras is a 19 year old kid, with a special talent to play keyboards, guitar, tabla, etc. Those who attended last Fall's Sargam Diwali Program can attest to this. Paras, ICEC gratefully acknowledges your generous contribution. The foundation of ICEC will be built on this type of sacrifice. Such sentiments of hope will be alive for years to come to inspire future students of Indian heritage.
Dinesh O. Shah
Youth Corner
"Hope For the Holidays"
For the second consecutive year the ICEC Youth Group has take part in Hope for the Holidays and the Gainesville Teen Drive. Both organizations help under-privileged families have a better holiday season. This year the youth group raised more than $500 in contributions, which enabled us to purchase gifts for a young mother, her son and many other teens in the Gainesville area. However, we would not have accomplished this without your support. We hope that next year we can raise more money and help more families.
Thanks for your support and contributions.
Aparna Shenadi, ICEC Youth Group President
High Times on the Waves
Over Thanksgiving break eight families from the Indian Youth Group went on a three days and four night cruise on the Big Red Boat. We left from Port Canaveral and immediately received 24 hour a day VIP treatment. There were many highlights of the trip that I'm sure those who participated will always remember. There was always plenty of delicious food to eat; at night there was even a "midnight buffet" with intricate ice sculptures. We especially enjoyed the pineapples. There was an ice cream shop with free ice cream and pizza all the time. At our first stop in Nassau, many of us spent the day on a small island, the Blue Lagoon, playing volley ball among the palm trees on a postcard-perfect shore. The rest of us went to the mainland to shop and look around.
At Port Lucaya, on the day of the FSU-Gator game, we spent a lot of the day shopping, learning the Bahamian accent, and understanding the rasta" concepts from a somber pipe seller. When some of us saw the natives, we couldn't help but run and get our hair braided on the beach. To finish the day most of us young people went jet skiing. We had a time limit to ride, and we all got our money's worth from the now battered machines. As fast and crazy as we were going, I don't think anybody overturned ! Every night we ate an expensive sounding dinner in the elegant dining room. Each night and sometimes even during dinner we were treated to elegant broadway style shows. Afterwards, some people would play bingo. Some of us actually won; sometimes even twice. Luckily, Arvind didn't want the $120+ and is still looking for someone to give to ! The young people also spent time at the dance clubs on the ship where they went wild, as did the parents with their money in the casinos ! Maybe next time we cruise we'll go to some place even more exotic, like .... Alaska.
Mohan Punja
