15 wheelchairs donated to SLAF Seva Vanitha Unit by ex-Royal Ceylon Air Force Club in Melbourne

The Ex-Royal Ceylon Air Force Club, based in Melbourne, Australia, came forward for the first time to donate 15 wheelchairs to the SLAF Seva Vanitha Unit in support of its efforts in fulfilling the needs of Ex-Air Force Servicemen whose children are disabled. The donation was made on 24 June at Air Force Headquarters Colombo.

Ex-Royal Ceylon Air Force Club Inc is a non-profitable club constituted by the Ex-Royal Ceylon and Sri Lanka Air Force veterans permanently residing in Victoria Australia as their home away from home. The club had been formed 25 years ago and since then it has provided comradeship and support to all Ex-Royal Ceylon Air Force and Sri Lanka Air Force veterans and their families. As a club they have organised charity fundraising events in support of the needy and vulnerable groups with a special focus on the needs that arise out of Sri Lanka. One of the main goals for the year 2020 was to help 15 selected disabled children from the families of Sri Lanka Air Force members who have sacrificed their lives for the country. Similarly, during the year 2019, the club selected a much deserving child of a victim of the Easter Sunday attack in Katuwapitiya and arranged a scholarship program to support her wellbeing and educational funding.

This wheelchair handover ceremony was attended by Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sumangala Dias, Seva Vanitha Unit Chairperson Mayuri Prabhavi Dias, Chief of Staff Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, members of the Air Force Board of Management, and ex Air Force personnel to whom the chairs were handed over. Group Captain (Retd.) Kumar Kirinde and Wing Commander (Retd.) Nalin Jayathilake participated as the symbolic representatives of the Ex-Royal Ceylon Air Force Club in Melbourne.

The ceremony commenced with the traditional lighting of the oil lamp after which Seva Vanitha Unit Chairperson Mayuri Prabhavi Dias delivered the welcome address. A special message by Ex-Royal Ceylon Air Force Club in Melbourne Australia President Group Captain (Retd.) Ajith De Silva was read out by Wing Commander (Retd.) Nalin Jayathilake.

In a brief interview with the media, Ajith De Silva said: “We, as one of the prominent ex-armed forces clubs overseas with an exclusive Sri Lankan Air Force identity, look forward to move beyond what we have done here, supporting our original roots with a great deal of pride and look forward to organising and contributing to more meaningful charity activities in the future for the well-being of our ex-Sri Lanka Air Force members and their families living in Sri Lanka.”

The two symbolic representatives of the Ex-Royal Ceylon Air Force Club in Melbourne, Australia then officially handed over the wheel chairs to the Chairperson of the Seva Vanitha Unit. Thereafter the Commander of the Air Force presented five wheelchairs to the ex-Air Force Servicemen whose children are disabled.

The Commander of the Air Force also presented a special Letter of Appreciation to Wing Commander Nalin Jayathilake, which is to be sent to the Ex-Royal Ceylon Air Force Club in Melbourne Australia. The two representatives of the Ex-Royal Ceylon Air Force Club in Melbourne, Australia, Group Captain (Retd.) Kumar Kirinde and Wing Commander (Retd.) Nalin Jayathilake were also presented with tokens of appreciation for their effort towards the success of such projects, by the Commander.

The Air Force Dance Troup added a glamorous touch to the event with a dancing item themed ‘Nagitimu Sri Lanka,’ which depicted the rise of Sri Lanka as one nation in the fight against COVID-19.

SLAF Seva Vanitha Unit Secretary Wing Commander Gayathri Ekanayake delivered the Vote of Thanks after which the proceeding were concluded with the playing of the National Anthem.