Orphanage Support Update -  Verista Playground Project

With the success of our Chapter’s Orphanage Support Fundraising, we were able to fund the purchase of a playground.  At our April 2005 meeting, the Chapter Members voted on funding one of three projects presented.  Our Members voted to support this project for a total of $2500.  DFW FRUA has also applied to National FRUA for a $500 grant match to fund this project.

Veritsa is an orphanage in the countryside close to St. Petersburg, Russia.  Buckner Orphan Care International has been working with this director for ten years and has been renovating the orphanage to make group homes and a school.  This orphanage has approximately 60 children ages 2-8, with two of the children being HIV positive.  These two children were in the Aids Baby home in St. Petersburg and needed to transition to another home for older children by the time they were four.  This director, Anatoly Ulianov and his assistant director, Svetlana, were the only orphanage in St. Petersburg who was willing to take the children.  They are currently renovating the second floor of the orphanage and have always needed a playground for the younger aged children.  This grant will provide a playground for these young children and will give them an outdoor activity as they are in a small house right next to the orphanage with little space for play.

The FRUA gift will impact the lives of all of the young children in this home and will also be an affirmative gesture for this director who works so hard to improve the lives of the children there.

Ellen Allam, DFW FRUA Events Coordinator (left) and Tiffany Taylor, DFW FRUA Member (right) with children at Verista who will benefit from the new playground.

 The outside of Verista Orphanage.