HISTORY OF ACOBAWC-USA
Since 1988….
Ananda College Old Boys’ Association of West Coast, USA (ACOBAWC) was formed in 2012 following several previous efforts to bring together Anandians in USA. An unofficial entity called “Anandians in USA” promoted by two old Anandians in California was the first effort in 1984. It merely got several old Anandians in US, both east and west coasts, to become life members of the main OBA in Colombo. The first formal organization formed in 1988 was “Overseas Anandians Association of Southern California” (OAASC) formed by six old Anandians (including the two who initiated the Anandians in USA).
OAASC, a formally incorporated entity in California that had a tenure of several years and conducted four fund raiser events, could be recognized as the first organization of old Anandians, and the forerunner of the present ACOBAWC. The name Overseas Anandians Association was the brainchild of one of the six founder members – Dr. Walter Jayasinghe who felt that the organization should have a broad international outlook.
The first President of OAASC was Dr. Stanley Wijesekara (one of the six founder members) and the first fund raiser was held at The Hyatt Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles on February 3, 1990. Approximately $2500 collected from this event was used to establish the first scholarship at Ananda College. This money placed in a fixed deposit at Sampath Bank, Colombo, the annual interest from which was used to make a financial award, at the school annual prize-giving to the student achieving the best results at the General Certificate of Education, Ordinary level (GCE O Level). It is noteworthy that this very first scholarship is still maintained by ACOBAWC and the College.
To a new beginning….
The following years saw Palitha Pelpola and Nihal Wijesinghe (two other founder members) becoming President of OAASC. Fund raiser events were held in 1993 and 1996 and modest amounts raised at these events were added to the GCE O Level scholarship mentioned above. The next president of OAASC was Asoka Jayawardane during whose tenure a cultural event was organized at the California State University at Long Beach where Pandit Amaradeva from Sri Lanka performed.
The group of old Anandians active thus far was considerably small which led to OAASC being inactive for a few years. The organization was revived in 2004 with the arrival in California of Mr. Tissa Seneviratne, a former teacher of the College around whom the Anandians regrouped and even made him the next President. A fund raiser event was also held in December 2004. Following a further period of inactivity, the organization regrouped (as Anandian Association of California) with Malraj de Silva as President. A fund raiser, for the first time called “Maroons Night”, was held in 2008.
The energetic younger group of old Anandians who rallied around in 2008 felt that the organization had to be reorganized along the lines of Ananda College Old Boys’ Association of East Coast, USA. Thus a new organization incorporated in California was formed under the present name Ananda College Old Boys’ Association of West Coast, USA (ACOBA WEST). Pradeep Gunaratne became its first president.
