The Al Tyrcha Memorial Fund

UPDATES:

• Hlau Hlau
• Lion Park Elementary
  
  
  When I think of Al Tyrcha I think of him as “Mr. APTA”.  He was passionate, hard working and devoted to our organization. He served on the local Midwest board along with a number of years on the National Board. When his “other job” required him to travel, he would take time to attend local APTA chapter meetings. He attended our National Forum in Dallas this year and little did we know that it would be the last time we saw him.  Because of his leadership APTA is the first-rate association it is today. 
  
  

Carole has told me that Al's sister-in-law is a teacher and, considering his fondness for South Africa, she has found a school in South Africa to support. Al would have liked this and his sister-in-law will be putting together a program for her pupils to correspond with the children in that school. Some of you will remember the school of Hlau Hlau because past president Bonnie Fogg did fundraising through APTA and personally delivered calculators to the school. I have attached a picture of her during the visit. 

The following is from Ethne Cameron who as been involved with schools in the Lowveld

We have, at our school, 276 children out of 1400 living on their own at home due to aides - their families have all passed away and some, at the tender age of 7, are seeing to their own needs. The teachers have been wonderful, they assist as best they can but, with winter fast approaching, these kids are really in dire straights.

We do have USD4216.00 in our Hlau Hlau account which we are using to purchase one jersey each but that is as far as it goes. Any funding for these children would be so so so appreciated. Our government has not taken this aides epidemic seriously enough and we now sit with an absolute crises - no orphanages and just chaos. If we can take care of our kids at Hlau Hlau correctly I feel sure that many other schools will follow.

Hlau Hlau, when we started, was the worst school in our province, it was voted in the top 5 at the end of last year and it really does stem from the Teachers enthusiasm and because other schools have seen them go from strength to strength they are now asking for advice - a leap forward this is.

We had a meeting yesterday, the school has a special committee looking after these children and their needs are as follows:-

1. The teachers are concerned that over the weekend these children do not get fed. During the week the teachers ensure that they have bread and hot tea in the morning and then lunch mealie meal, veggies and 3 times a week chicken or meat. They are wanting (the teachers) funding to purchase each child a large lunch box that they can fill on a Friday to see them through.
2. The teachers would like a pair of denim jeans for each child
3 They would like a pair of tennis shoes for those children who are barefoot at the moment.
4. Two pairs of underpants
5. Two long sleeve T-Shirts so one can be worn and one can be washed
6. Two pairs of socks.

Ethne has taken a different approach, working with the local chiefs and governments to develop a program that goes beyond education, and deeper into the family structure, with Aids being a serious concern - together is displaced children who no longer have parents due to aids. Ethne also works with the children who have been abused, as there is a hospital for rape victims adjacent to the school project

National will be opening this fund with a contribution of $1,000.00. All checks should be sent to our National Treasurer as follows:

Virginia Dionisio
APTA Executive Financial Director
4 Samuels Path
Miller Place, NY 11764

Please make your checks out to: APTA National

Along with the check – please enclose a note that it is for the Al Tyrcha Memorial Fund with your name, address, telephone and email address. Along with anything else you would like forwarded to Carole.


If you should wish to wire a contribution the information of our account is as follows:

Bank: The Suffolk County National Bank
74 Echo Avenue
Miller Place, New York 11764
Phone: 631-474-8400

Account name: Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa

Account # 1320011347

Routing # 021405464

Please add $25.00 to your payment for the bank fees that we incur! And also send us an email to – info@apta.biz
Notifying us that the wire has been sent along with your name, address, telephone and email address.

Thank you in advance for supporting Al's memory.

All the best,

Nancy Decker-Davidson
APTA Executive Director