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Sam Relief would like to take a moment to express our thanks to two people. Over the last two months, we have conducted an extensive fund-raising effort here in the United States . This effort was coordinated and implemented by Star Singer, Preap Sowath, and his team. Ambassador Joseph Adamo Mussomeli and his US Embassy Staff made this trip possible and we would like to thank them for their efforts on our behalf. Your support of Sam Relief is greatly appreciated and helps to accomplish our mission.

This trip will allow us to continue our mission of educating commitment of Cambodia by adding two additional schools to our 2007 campaign which we will name for the people who managed this campaign . This brings our total commitment this year to six schools we will build.

Again, Thank you for your support of Sam Relief. We believe the children we help will Change the country of Cambodia which will help change the world.

Friend Without a Border

Three years ago while on my annual trip to Cambodia , I met a man named Mr. Kenro Izu was introduced by Ambassador Roland Eng at the Cambodian Embassy in Washington DC in 2004. He runs an under –privileged hospital in Cambodia called Angkor Hospital for Children. When I visited the hospital I was moved by the hope the children who are treated there have Mr. Jon F. Morgan Executive Director, Mr.Long, Sedtha, Ms. Arun Sinketh, Ke, Sokunthea explained the hardships of having to treat so many ill children with very little funding. Many of the children fight a dual problem of fighting their disease.As well as hunger while fighting that fight.

 

That year 2005 , Sam Relief donated a 15 tons of rice sponsored by Mayor Royer C. Claar which helped keep many of those children alive. The following year, as part of our annual fundraising drive, we committed.

2006 the Jack Rose Club donated 10 tons of rice.

Sam Relief promised the to raise 15 tons of rice for 2007 due to the increasing of the number of ill children.

To donating 15 tons of rice to the hospital which feeds all of the children in the Hospital for a 12 months period.

This year 2007 those 10 tons of rice were sponsored by Mayor Roger Claar.

one ton each from Mr. Don Kroll,

one ton from Mr.Ted Lierl.

one ton from Mr.Dan O'shea

one ton from Mr. Bill Batdorf

one ton from Mr. Robert Harnett

Last three years. We at Sam relief feel this is an extension of our mission of educating the children of Cambodia as they cannot learn if they do not have the facilities to do so.

We provide water; shelter and clothing as well as this closed the gap.

This year, we are very much on our way to our goal. Due to the generosity to my friends and donors, so far we are able to donate 15 tons of rice. We, at Sam relief want to continue this tradition and ask for your help in reaching our goal in the future.

Best regards,

Sambonn Lek
President and founder

 

 

2007 Newsletter Update:

July 2007 marked the beginning of another successful and lengthy trip to my beloved homeland, Cambodia. It certainly is a privilege to be able to enjoy the wonderful accomplishments of Sam Relief, which I now share with all of you.
This past year has once again been particularly rough on agriculture throughout the entire region. Farmers in Cambodia have endured severe drought conditions due to lack of sufficient rainfall, resulting in a diminished amount of crops, creating yet an even higher level of poverty and widespread distress. When Sam Relief donates a ton of rice, we are literally saving lives.
While in Cambodia I worked on the 2007 relief mission which took place in August of this year. I have listed some of the projects that we have worked on. Our mission positively affects the heath and livelihood of the people in my country. I hope you are as excited as I am and reach into your heart to help in future projects such as these:

This year we built six schools, furthering the education of children over a wide area.

¤The first is due to a single contribution from Mr. Clifford Laughton and was built in my home town of Svay Rieng Province adjacent to his JSM school of 2005.
It was honored by Governor Gorn Pen in a ceremony on July 31, 2007.

 

JSM Schools 2007
¤The second, by a single contribution from Elizabeth Updike, built at Tun Lorp Takeo Province in honor of her daughter, Olivia. The ceremony on August 24, 2007 was honored by H.E Var Kim Hong.



¤The third was by way of dual contributions by Mr. Christopher M. Crane and Mr. Mark Terk, built at Svay Rieng Province. H.E Khieu Kanhnarith was our great honored host.

 

007 school 2007

¤The forth, due to a single contribution by Mr. Gary Bremer, is at Khet Kandal Province. Dedication was on August 2, 2007

 

Gary Bremer school 2007

¤The fifth, from a fundraising concert tour by Cambodia star singers. Thanks to US Embassy who granted the visas to the performers. This school was built at Ang Ro Ka.. Takeo Province and will be inaugurated in December, 2007.

Ang Ro Ka School

¤The sixth, also from a fundraising concert tour by Cambodia star singers. Thanks again to US Embassy for granting the visas to the performers. This school was built at Ang Ro Neap Takeo Province and also will be inaugurated in December, 2007.


2007 has been the most successful year ever in the history of Sam Relief, in that we were able to build six schools. As a very promising start for another wonderful year of relief efforts, Mr. Lawrence Chase and Mr. Buddy Mancuso are two new potential donors who would like to donate schools for construction in 2008.

As part of our annual fundraising drive for 2008, we have committed to donating 15 tons of rice which will feed all of the children there in the hospital for a 12 month period. This year Sam relief donated several tons of rice which helped keep many of those children alive. We have been able to meet this goal for each of the last three years. We at Sam Relief feel this is a necessary extension of our mission of educating the children of Cambodia, as they cannot learn if they do not have the facilities to do so. We provide water; shelter and clothing as well. This has helped to close the gap, to make the difference between starvation and survival, between failure and success.


Angkor Children Hospital at Siem Reap

We have also bestowed scholarships to 73 students. There are four students who have proudly just graduated from University.


A total of 21 fresh water wells were also dug this year, further enabling many more deprived villagers to survive, thrive and prosper.


Heartfelt thanks to all of my faithful contributors!

Best regards
Sambonn Lek

President and founder

 

All contributions are tax deductible.

Wells

Gallery

 

2007 Gala

     
  Thank you to Mr. Chris Flanagan ,Mr. Aaron Horton, Mr. Ryan Maher and Mr. John Broderickna and Mr. Richard Ruth for Ketel One Vodka donation.  Thank you to my friend Miguel Castro and his friends who are playing Music for us tonight

Sambonn Lek's Speech

Dear Valued Donors and friends:

First I want to thank Ms.Annie Boutin King who offers us this room for tonight's Gala.

It is an honor to be here and to have so many friends like all of you, who come to support my foundation, Sam Relief, Inc.

All my actions in Cambodia are my speech tonight ( I quote this sentence from Mr. Clifford Laughton )

The 2007 Sam Relief Annual Gala was our most successful ever. On the evening of May 10,2007 we celebrated at the Ritz Carlton Hotel Washington DC . Over 100 people attended and generously shared their time and enthusiasm for our cause.

I want to thank all of those who attended and helped to raise money to continue our mission. Due to the effect of this night as well as our year long fundraising efforts, we will be able to build six schools this year as well as continuing our support to Friends without Borders and providing supplies to Sam relief's family of children.

For those of you who missed it, there's always next year.

The kindness of all of the people who show their support for the children of Cambodia is overwhelming and we at Sam Relief greatly appreciate your commitment. Through learning these children will change the world.

An education and a livelihood will give them an opportunity to make a better country to live in which in turn will change the world.

Sam relief has the pleasure of being helped by so many but I would like to take this chance to say a special Thank you to a few individuals.

Thank you to all the members of my Boards and Board of Advisors:

  • My wife Nara Lek
  • Ms. Margaret Mathes
  • Mr. Bill Batdorf.
  • Mr. Clifford Laughton,
  • Mr. Stephen Meagher,
  • Mr. Bill O'Donnell,
  • Mr. Jerry Essenmacher,
  • Mr. Don Kroll,
  • Mr. Joe Bross,
  • Ms.Elizabeth Updike – for all of the assistance given.

Thank you Ms. Sieng, Socheatey, Sam Relief staff in Cambodia who oversees all the schools construction and takes care all the scholarship to the students as well as purchasing school supplies for 2006 and 2007.

Sam Relief will honor Ms. Karen McMullen new Board of advisor for Sam Relief.

Thank you to Ms. Karen McMullen who donated two cases of wine for Auction.

Thank to Mr. Kenneth Mitchalzulk for taking pictures.

Thank to my sister Sokharet , Chanthary, Mealy , Ms. Natalie Chhuan , Ms. Bony who assisted us tonight.

Thank you to Mr. Chris Flanagan ,Mr. Aaron Horton, Mr. Ryan Maher and Mr. John Broderickna and Mr. Richard Ruth for Ketel One Vodka donation.

Thank you to my friend Miguel Castro and his friends who are playing Music for us tonight.

I would like to express my deep gratitude and thanks to Mr. Clifford Laughton who donated more than $100.000.00 to build five schools and sponsored a student to attend school. This year he donates five classroom JSM Schools at Leack Chea Svay Rieng Province next to his JSM Schools 2005.

I especially want to say thank to my friend Steve Meagher who I have known for the last 31 years. He also donated three schools.

Thank you to The Alderson Family Foundation who donated Matching program with Mr. Steve Meager for 2006 at Svay Rieng Provice.

Thank you Senator and Mrs. Philip Hoffman who generously donated $25,000.00 to build a five classroom, Lumen Christi school at Tmor Kor Khet Kandal for 2006

Thank you to Elizabeth Updike who worked hard to raise money to build Six classrooms at Takeo Province for 2007. So far he has built three Olivia schools.

Thank to Mr. Christopher Crane and Mr. Mark Terk who donated $12,500.00 each matching program altogether $25,000.00 to build 007 school at Svay Rieng Province for 2007

Thank to Mr. Gary Bremer who donates three classroom school at Oudong Khet Kandal for 2007

Thank you to Mr. Barry Cochran and his friend Rolen, Dr. Chrea and Dr. Sayni who have donated Tylenol over the past three years.

Thank you to Tricia Gordon, Associate.Medical Outreach Program.AmeriCares who also donated Tylenol.

Thank you so much to Mr. Joe Bross who produced and donated this DVD.

Thank to all Elizabeth Updike guests.

This year we will have six schools to dedicate including educational supplies for over 4000 students.

Thank to Ambassador Joseph Adamo Mussomeli who accepted the invitation from Sam Relief to dedicate JSM schools at Koh Sotin . Kam Pong Cham Province for 2006 and we will again invite his excellency to dedicate Sam Relief schools for 2007.

Sam Relief would like to take a moment to express our thanks to Ambassador and his staffs who granted the Visa for Star Singers. This trip will allow us to continue our mission of educating the children of Cambodia by adding two additional schools to our 2007. 

Thank to all my donors who sponsors : scholarships for students to attend school, digging wells and school supplies.

So far we have built 18 schools and dug 400 wells for the neediest people in Cambodia

Sam Relief will help - Friends Without Borders – by providing 15 tons of rice to the children's hospital

This year those 15 tons of rice were sponsored by Mayor Roger Claar (10 tons) , one ton each from Mr. Don Kroll, Mr, Ted Lierl, Mr.Dan O'shea. Mr. Robert Harnett and Mr. Bill Batdorf.

Thank you to Jack Rose who donated 10 ton of rice to children's hospital for 2006.

Again, my deepest thanks to all of you and to my Sam Relief team for tonight.

Over the next few months we will see the rewards of all our hard work and efforts. Upon my return from Cambodia , later this summer I will share with all of you the results. I , as well, as the Board of Directors of Sam Relief and the children of Cambodia thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Best Regards.

Sambonn Lek
President & Founder
Sam Relief, Inc.
May 10th,2007

Copyright 2007 by Sam Relief, Inc.