MAJOR FUNDING FURTHERS WORK FOR LETCHWORTH PROJECT

A Message from the President

With festivities behind us, our attention is focusing on the excitement and the promise that the new millennium brings for the Letchworth Project. However, before we bid our farewell to 1999, a few reflective remarks are in order. The last year of the outgoing millennium was a year of spectacular accomplishment for IKCC and KCCNA. Many thanks to Jose Chummar Korakudilil and Baby John Uralil for their accomplish-ments. The year 2000 is blessed with many wonderful things for the community. Our Kids Club and Youth organizations are doing a great job under the dedicated leadership of both the community and spiritual directors. We have many programs for our children and youth organizations. There is a need however to prepare the first immigrant generation, who are now at the peak in their career and accomplishments, for the future of our organization and our community.

           The Knanaya society at large is very productive and prosperous. We are a large group and our population is scattered throughout the greater New York area. It is obvious that the community can not meet for every Sunday mass. It is also very clear to me that the community needs major activities to maintain its image and identity under one umbrella. The Y2K Executive committee launched a campaign to fulfill the dream to have a center in New York. Until now we were a community without a home address. Thanks to my predecessors for their vision, this year our community will have a permanent home. The campaign for year 2000 is a great challenge. I have no doubt in our ability to raise 400,000 dollars for the initial purchase of the Center. We need to launch the Millennium Preservation

Master Plan for the Letchworth Center. It needs to be done with architects, preservationists, environmentalists and community leaders. A 7.5-acre Letchworth Center is at the center of the plan surrounded by playgrounds and a residential neighborhood.

            The community center can support a major auditorium for large gatherings. A modern multipurpose design can accommodate different groups. With proper planning and community support, the community can anticipate funding from local and state governments. The existing church can be preserved with proper renovation for our spiritual needs. The adjacent buildings can support regular services for the children, young adults and a recreational space for our adults in the future. The rooms can also be used for other community services. As an immigrant community we need to preserve artifacts for future generations to learn of and preserve our rich history. New York, the capital of the business world can also be the headquarters of KCCNA. Unlike any other place in the US, New York is ideal to house a permanent Convention Center. The Letchworth Village has the power to become the center of the Knanaya Community in North America. This will require several years of planning and hard work.

            With these accomplishments in place, the new millennium begins, quite literally, on very sound ground. Our objective for 2000 is to build a center of our own. It will be built on our tradition to enhance our ability to stay live and prosperous for another millennium and I am confident we will achieve these goals for year 2000 and the years to follow.

Raju Mathai Pachikara, President IKCC NY

From The Secretary’s Desk...

-Chackochen Thayilputhenpurayil

            While I am pleased to announce that we received the written approval from NY State to acquire the proposed knanaya community center at Letchworth Village, Rockland, I would like to congratulate all the three previous executive committee and building committee for their great efforts. We, the executive committee of year 2000, are again dedicated to do our best with the building committee to purchase the center as early as possible and we do request your full-hearted unconditional cooperation.

            Again I would like to thank each and every member of our prestigious community, executive committee and others who have helped to make our last Christmas Carol a great success. Also I am delighted to inform you that our “Building committee” is making wonderful progress under the leadership of team leaders and our three beloved spiritual directors who are the ‘best of the best’.

Message

from Father Thomas Kottoor