Amanda Daflos SHS Class of '96 - Building A School And A Future For Children In Nepal

Former Smithtown resident aims to construct school in impoverished Nepal

By Chad Kushins

Photos courtesy of Amanda Daflos and the Nepal Maure Village School Project

Amanda Daflos with a school class in KathmanduWhen Amanda Daflos graduated from Smithtown High School in 1996, she had no idea that her college years would lead to a passion that would inspire the next decade and a half of her life. 

Attending Hamilton College in Upstate New York, Daflos opted to study abroad for seven months, her adventure finally leading her to the village of Kopan, located in Nepal.  There, she lived with a local native family, and not only learned to read and write Nepali, but also to witness, first-hand, the economic and social obstacles that all but dominate areas of the third-world.  It was a harsh lesson that she never forgot.  While attaining her master’s degree at the University of Colorado, Amanda stayed in contact with her friends in Nepal, putting into motion an ambitious project that will finally see a launch date this month.

“I had originally studied in [the village of Kopan] as a student,” Daflos told Smithtown Matters, “and I’ve felt very connected to there since that time.  I made a lot of friends there and it’s a very rich, interesting culture … I’ve worked on and organized a number of different projects and charities for that area, and it’s been a great way to stay connected.”

Eventually settling down in Colorado, Amanda founded Aleigh Productions, a public relations and event consulting firm specializing in work with non-profit organizations and also became the Director of Programs for the International Mountain Explorers Connection [IMEC], a non-profit organization focusing on assisting people who live in developing mountain regions throughout the world.* Now a manager for Deloitte Consulting, Amanda’s experiences shaped a career-path of unique insight into what would become her Nepal school construction project.

“Staying connected, the idea came out of being in contact with friends and the families I know there,” Daflos said of the earliest concepts to build a school in the area and how she could uniquely help from her place in the Children in Maure VillageU.S.  “I thought to myself, ‘How can I not do this?  It’s in my power to help in this way, and I have the background for it … Partnerships have been really important, and I’ve gotten a lot of inside help to get this off the ground.  And that partnership exists, where [the villagers] really want this school to happen and many people involved want to see it done for them.”

Joined in her crusade by business partner John Oliva, Amanda co-founded Nepal Trek and Trail Run, aiming to Amanda Daflos (right) and Nima Dorje Lama who are the project founders for the Nepal Maure Village School Build Project introduce to others the beautiful, culture, and unfortunate economic strife within Nepal and its surrounding country.  On a continuing basis, both Daflos and Oliva take tourists, who sign up for a ten-day hike and run through Katmandu and the Annapurna Mountains with a portion of the proceeds used to support other organizations working in that region.  

The plot of land that will soon to be leveled, paving the way for the new village high school.In November of last year, Amanda visited the home of close friend, former mayor of the village of Maure, Jagat Man Lama.  On that trip, she quickly learned the current woes of the village, particularly those affecting the local schools and young students.  In Maure, the 35-year-old middle school not only had fallen into a certain amount of disrepair, but students older than the seventh-grade level are forced to make a three-hour round trip walk to school every day because of the village’s lack of a proper high school.  With the extreme difficulty of having to make such a daily journey, many students opt to quit school prior to attending high school, finding it easier to work within the agricultural community, conducting work in the fields or in other local areas that require manual labor.  In the end, these students don’t really have a choice.

Daflos explained, “It’s a very challenged place and a still-evolving country.  It’s very, very rural – almost like A traditional native woman of Maure village.  the side of a mountain – and so, it’s also very agricultural.  With their current situation, all students in the village, after grade seven, have to walk if they want to continue their education – and many decide that it’s just too much and settle into a job without the means to advance further.

“Knowing those numbers,” added Daflos, “it was the real reason that we want to fix up the standing middle school and add a brand new high school.”

Amanda and her team have found that for $30,000, the local middle school in Maure can be repaired and enough land can be acquired to build a much-needed high school and playground.  In order to logistically commence the project, each step for the school was broken down into phases, the first of which would see much-needed repairs made to the standing middle school as the high school’s land acquisition continues, leading up to its construction. 

An ambitious project, yes, but Daflos is passionate that the goal can be met – with the right amount of help.

“Our goal is still to raise that initial $30,000 by the end of this month,” Daflos added.  “The entire project is set into phases, and that sum will go very far in the first stage…”

According to Daflos, not only does she plan to make frequent visits to Maure while the project is underway – even planning a trip in July for the launch of the construction’s first phase – but is also in talks with local school districts to get students involved in raising additional funds to benefit the cause. 

Daflos believes that with the right attitude and social education, many high schoolers might become very inspired in learning about the diverse cultures and the disadvantages that students their own ages face in other countries – and how just a little understanding and support can lead to tremendous advances in the quality of life for someone else.

Who knows?  Amanda was once just a Smithtown High School student looking to help out, too.

Additional information about Amanda Daflos’ ongoing project to aid the village of Maure’s school construction, or about the many other concurrent initiatives to benefit that region, visit www.nepalschool.wix.com/project or www.cureblindness.org.

*This article has been amended 

FEMA To Reimburse Smithtown $4,296,115.57

FEMA Aid for Suffolk County, Smithtown and Brookhaven Town Follows Announcement of $5.1 Million in Army Corps Funding for Beach Restoration West Of Shinnecock Inlet PATCHOGUE — Congressman Tim Bishop hailed the recent announcements that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved federal grants for major debris removal in the aftermath of Tropical Storms Irene and Lee totaling $1,745,715 to reimburse Suffolk County, $1,009,769.38 to reimburse Smithtown and $4,296,115.57 to reimburse Brookhaven Town. In response to the August, 2011 disaster, County and Town governments deployed personnel from all departments to help with emergency debris removal and ensure public safety, and also hired additional contractors with special equipment to aid the cleanup effort. Last week, FEMA approved applications for reimbursement from the local government entities, with the federal government bearing 75% of the cost for debris removal within Town borders. The federal cost share is typical for FEMA Public Assistance grants. “After Hurricane Irene, County and Town governments responded quickly and comprehensively to help our community recover from the federally-declared disaster, and I strongly supported federal grant funding to reimburse Suffolk County, Brookhaven and Smithtown for their hard work,” said Congressman Tim Bishop. “I’m especially pleased that the federal government has stepped up to cover much of the recovery costs given the fiscal situation in Suffolk County.” Bishop said that additional FEMA grants for East End towns will likely be approved on a rolling basis in the coming weeks. The FEMA aid follows the announcement last week by Congressman Bishop that he has secured $5.1 million for a US Army Corps of Engineers dredge of Shinnecock Inlet this year, with sand from the dredged inlet to be placed on the badly-eroded section of beach known as West of Shinnecock Inlet (WOSI) to restore it to its condition before Irene. Federal funding through the Army Corps Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies program will cover the entire cost of the work, with no share of the cost borne by local government. On August 31, 2011, Congressman Bishop and a bipartisan coalition of 20 members of New York’s delegation in the House of Representatives wrote a letter urging President Obama to declare Irene a federal disaster in Suffolk County and all 26 New York counties declared disaster areas by Governor Cuomo. Once the President declared the federal disaster, Suffolk County became eligible for Public Assistance, including the reimbursement announced today. Bishop also successfully appealed directly to President Obama for Suffolk County homeowners and businesses who suffered damage in the disaster to be eligible for Individual Assistance (IA) grants due to the severe damage to private property in coastal areas. On September 8, Bishop hosted a meeting in Mastic with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) to help homeowners and businesses learn about the process for applying for federal disaster aid for individuals. Storm damage impacted 861 homes state-wide, with $16,798,899 in individual assistance provided to affected homeowners. “I advocated strongly for federal aid to repair the significant damage in Suffolk County from this federally-declared disaster, and will continue to work with my partners in local government to make the strongest possible case for aid in response to future disasters,” said Congressman Bishop.

Altschuler's Response To Bishop's Immigration Announcement

Middle Island, June 18, 2012 – Responding to a stunning press release issued this afternoon by incumbent Congressman Tim Bishop urging illegal immigrants to contact his office so he can expedite them taking advantage of President Obama’s unilateral executive order effectively granting them amnesty, self-made businessman and Republican challenger Randy Altschuler said the move demonstrated Bishop’s misplaced priorities and complete lack of focus on creating jobs and improving Long Island’s devastated economy.

Altschuler said that in these tough economic times, Tim Bishop’s priority is assigning a taxpayer funded caseworker to expedite President Obama’s backdoor amnesty program.  In contrast, Altschuler’s 10-Point Jobs Plan (www.Randy2012.com/jobsplan) calls for a caseworker in his future office solely focused on bringing new jobs back to Suffolk County.

“Congressman Bishop’s announcement today is a slap in the face to the more than 30,000 Long Islanders who have lost their jobs since he took office nearly ten years ago,” said Altschuler.  “While his constituents are in the midst of a deep and sustained economic crisis, Tim Bishop is using taxpayer-funded employees in his office to implement President Obama’s unilateral, backdoor amnesty program for illegal immigrants.  This announcement is proof that Congressman Bishop’s head is completely buried in the sand when it comes to our dismal economy and lack of jobs here in Suffolk County.  He is so out-of-touch, it’s frightening.”

FYI - Demolition At Nissequogue River State Park

By Mike Rosato and Dorothy Chanin

State Parks held a meeting at 1:30 PM on Thursday, June 14th to brief community leaders about the impending demolition of 19 buildings/structures and associated tunnels at the Nissequogue River State Park. We were told that the work will commence at the end of July and last approximately 8 months.

The $6.4 million contract was awarded to a Bloomington, Indiana company called National Salvage and Service Corporation, which presented the lowest bid on the project. The work is expected to be completed by April or May, 2013. Air monitoring stations will be setup around each demolition site by D&B Engineers and Architects. The monitoring process, part of the community monitoring program, will help ensure our residents safety.

The only change to the original demolition plan is a decision to implode, instead of dismantle, the smoke stack at the former power station. State Parks will establish a 1,000 foot perimeter around the stack before the implosion takes place. They will also setup a viewing station for anyone who wants to watch the action from a safe distance. The community will be notified in advance of the demolition of this specific structure.

Each demolition site will be contained and will have a large buffer zone. Access to each site will be restricted. The park will remain open and operate as normally as possible. The Boulevard will remain open unless it is necessary to close it for safety reasons. Trucks leaving the work area will depart from 25A and Indian Head Road.

We hope Senator Flanagan will encourage State Parks to facilitate the complete remediation of the park in the near future.  “The fact that the accepted bid was significantly lower than originally anticipated is an encouraging sign and I look forward to working with State Parks to use the remaining funds in the most effective and efficient way possible,” said Flanagan.

State Parks is in the process of constructing a new website that will update the community on the demolition’s progress. The web address will be www.kppccleanup.com.

If you have any questions or concerns,  contact: State Parks Police - 631-321-3700 Director Ron Foley - 631-321-3402

Smithtown Bay Yacht Club's Soldiers on the Sound Fishing Tournament

By Joe Flynn

June 16, 2012. The Smithtown Bay Yacht Club (SBYC) held its 4^th annual “Soldiers on the Sound” Fluke Fishing Tournament in honor of armed forces who have served or are currently serving in the military. Members of the SBYC brought their boats out of Smithtown Bay Harbor at Long Beach, each with two or three veterans or active service people who were competing in the tournament.

The event is the project of Kings Park resident Mark Garry, who is the president of the SBYC. A retired Nassau detective, Garry describes a day in 2008 when he came back from a long day of fishing. He was struck when he saw on the television images of soldiers overseas trying to relax on their exhausting tour of duty. He says, “It occurred to me that I fish to relax and maybe these guys would want to do the same thing.”

Garry’s idea turned into a quick success. The idea is simple: to give back to the soldiers while having a good time. The SBYC has teamed up with the 106^th Rescue Wing to invite both participants and volunteers. This year was the most successful event so far, with 33 boats and more than 70 service people participating. Attendance has more than doubled since 2009, the first “Soldiers on the Sound” event, which consisted of only15 boats and 25 soldiers. Unfortunately, the event is required to be by invitation only, as a safety precaution.

The winners of the tournament were John Angerame and Curtis Johnson, both of the 106^th Rescue Wing, captained by Paul Schumann, participating as a guest of SBYC member John Gershio. The boat had no first mate. Both soldiers were on cloud nine after their big win, and Schumann was very pleased as well. “What’s important is that we all helped land that fish,” he said. “It was a team effort.” The fluke they caught was *7 pounds, 15 ounces.

“A team effort” was the theme of the day overall. Each of the boats was successful because of the cooperation between soldiers and boaters, but the event itself would not have been possible without the support of countless volunteers, including SBYC members, community members, and businesses both local and national. The volunteers expertly handled feeding the participants, weighing the fish, and organizing the raffle all at the same time. The raffle consisted of a huge assortment of gifts from Smithtown businesses and national businesses, all of whom took a profound interest in the event. Among the most generous donations were a rifle inscribed with “Soldiers on the Sound 2012,” a 46” flat-screen television, and a one-seat kayak. SBYC public relations manager Michele March said, “Nearly everyone should be able to go home with something.” The Chris Jennings Band, from Northport, provided live music.

In the end, the SBYC succeeded in its mission to serve the soldiers who put their lives on the line to protect our country. 95% of the 106^th Rescue Wing are from Long Island, so the day was a community event that brought about lasting friendships. “They’ve got my number now, and we’ll definitely be in touch,” said Schumann about the soldiers who were his partners and winners of the contest.

The day put a personal touch on a bond of service and gratitude.

* This article was amended - the winning fluke was 7lbs 15 ounces not 7lbs. 5oz. as originally written.