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| OGB’s is an acronym popularly used for alumni of Dr Graham’s Homes, who currently live all over the world pursuing a variety of careers. A unique feature of the OGB’s is their enormous solidarity and the love for their Alma Mater. OGBs of varying generations regularly correspond with each other and keep alive the identity and warm memories of the Homes. Whenever they meet or correspond with each, the exchange almost always centers around their years at Dr Graham’s Homes.
This special bonding of love and loyalty to the ‘Children’s City’ in the Himalayas that has been a phenomenon since the early 1900’s, has inculcated a sense of gratitude in every OGB, motivating them to repay, in some small measure, what the institution has done for them, by either raising funds for sponsorship of children or other projects for the betterment of the school.
Accordingly, the first association of OGBs, ‘The Kalimpong Association (UK), was formed by the late Principal, Dr. James Minto and Mr Eddie Lamb, an alumnus of the Homes. The institution now boasts of OGB Associations in Nepal, Canada, Sikkim, and Kalimpong in addition to the UK Association. All these OBG's Associations have been very forthcoming and generous in rendering assistance to the Homes.
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Early Years |
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| The Kalimpong Association (UK) was started by Dr. James R. Minto, a former Principal of Dr. Grahams Homes in September 1971. It was the The guidance and encouragement of Dr. Minto that helped the Association grow in its formative years. The Association has now grown in strength and influence from a handful of interested people to its present very healthy membership. In the initial years of the UK Association, members of the Graham family were also closely involved and this gave an impetus to the growth and popularity of the Association. A great deal of credit also goes to Mr. Eddy Lamb, now 83 years of age, who played a major role in expanding the activities of the Association and making it what it is today. |
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Constitution |
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| The Association formed a Charitable Trust in 1985 to which a large number of OGB’s and friends of Kalimpong contributed generously, to sponsor children studying at the Homes. The Association raises funds every year and makes contributions to the Trust in order that the flow of sponsorships every year is sustained.
The Association has a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Newsletter Editor and five other members, who at the AGM in June every year, are all elected to their posts to serve the Association. The Association draws its membership from amongst an impressive number of Old Girls and Boys of Dr Graham’s Homes, family members of former staff of the Homes, a couple of former staff members and friends of Kalimpong.
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Activities |
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| In keeping with the spirit of the Homes and the loving memory of its founder, the Association celebrates Dr. Graham’s Homes Birthday as near as possible to the 24th of September each year, a valuable opportunity to ‘meet and greet’ family and friends. The School Anthem is sung at most meetings and tea with refreshments is provided.
The Association has its own Newsletter that is published twice or thrice a year and this has become an important platform to exchange news and keep members informed of various events.
Apart from various fund raising activities organised by the Association, there are several social events that are also organized periodically and all these are wonderful opportunities for OGB’s to re-connect and re-live warm memories of their days at the Homes.
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Funds |
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| The Association raises funds through organizing Dinner Dances and Raffles (particularly at our AGM and Birthday Celebrations) that serve as a good source of income to defray costs. The Association encourages donations for other worthy causes and projects in Dr. Graham’s Homes and supports sponsorships for children at the Homes. Occasionally a dinner dance is organised specifically to secure extra funding for the school and the charitable trust. The Association welcomes OGB’s from overseas to join them in these activities and is delighted to include any visitors and well wishers at it’s meetings. |
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Managing Committee Members of The Kalimpong Association (UK) |
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President : |
Mrs Margaretta Purtill (nee Byers) |
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| Margaretta and Vince Purtill |
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Treasurer : |
Mr Vincent John Purtill |
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Vice President : |
Mr John Christie |
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Secretary : |
Mrs Juliana Duckworth |
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Sponsorship Secretary : |
Mrs Fiona Cranston (Great Grand daughter of Dr. John Graham) |
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Editor : |
Mrs Sylvia Woodward |
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Committee Members : |
Mrs Ellena Christie; Mrs Leoni Appleby;
Mrs Linda Munro; Ms Cynthia Munro; Mr Roger Willes. |
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The OGBs Association of Kalimpong was established in 1998 with the purpose of getting all the OGBs of Kalimpong under one platform to enhance solidarity amongst them and to provide a better understanding of the administration, the staff and the children of Dr. Graham’s Homes .
The objective of the OGBs Association of Kalimpong is to work towards creating a bond with the school and to assist the Homes’ administration as and when required. Members of the OGBs are always there for their alma mater. |
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Managing Committee Members of The OGBs Association of Kalimpong |
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President : |
Mr. Hiranya Mani Pradhan |
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Vice President : |
Mr. Norden Pempahishey |
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Secretary : |
Mrs. Anita Pradhan (nee Gurung) |
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Treasurer: |
Mr. Probir Rajwar |
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| Newton Stokoe |
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The Kalimpong Association of Canada was founded in 1998. The founding members included John Watson, Mary Haughey (nee Spur), Elsie Pettigrew, Angus Meikle, Amy Burfield, George Mony-Penny, Glyn Hartless, Humphrey Jones, Julian Frizelle.
The Association organises an annual Potluck Curry Luncheon to celebrate the Homes’ Birthday in September. It is held in Toronto, Ontario, and funds are raised through admission tickets, a white elephant table as well as other sales and raffles. A heartfelt rendition of ‘The Rallying Song’ is sung at each of these events.
The current President of the Association is Newton Stokoe.
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| The idea of setting up a charitable trust was conceived with the publication of the book on the history of Dr. Graham’s Homes titled “DADDY GRAHAM’S HOMES” at the Centenary celebrations in 2000. The funds collected from the sale of the books was utilised to render support to the Homes. It was the OGB’s way of giving back to the Homes for all that it had done to further their careers.
The Old Girls and Boys Heritage Foundation was registered on the 22nd December 2005 in Kalimpong. Over these years the Association has taken on several projects such as the renovation of the Elliott Cottage wash-house, donation of clothes, shoes etc. to children at Lucia King. The most recent contribution was the setting up two libraries, one at Wales Lodge and the other at Lucia King.
It is a pledge of the Association, to support the Homes. In the interest of information and transparency, the OGB’s Heritage Foundation has it’s own website www.ogbsheritagefoundation.org where details of all projects, utilization of funds etc are posted for all their donors to have full access. All OGB’s have access to information on all the projects that are in the pipeline, active or completed.
The Old Girls and Boys Heritage Foundation needs all the support that it can get. It is with this knowledge that they request all OGB’s to participate and support the Foundation.
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Office Bearers of the Foundation |
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Chairman : |
Sam Tshering |
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Vice Chairman : |
Phintso Ongdi |
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Treasurer : |
Tenzin Zoepa |
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Treasurer: |
Rajesh Rauniyar |
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Secretary: |
Jyoti Shrestha |
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| The Sikkim Grahamites Association is the OGBs Association at Sikkim. It was established in 1997 by a number of former students of the Homes, who initially got together to work for the Centenary Year Celebrations of the Homes in 2000. It was at this momentous occasion that the Association finally became a reality. |
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Managing Committee Members of Sikkim Grahamites Association |
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President : |
Mrs. Jayshree Pradhan |
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Secretary : |
Mr. Karma Bhutia |
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Treasurer: |
Dr. Shiva Kumar Rai |
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