L-S grads raise money for Cambodian schools

Art Illman/Wicked Local staff photographer

Sudbury – Thanks to Cambodian Threads, Christmas came twice last month for students in Cambodia.

Cambodian Threads, run by two 2004 graduates of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, donates a portion of the proceeds from sales of handmade silk scarves to disadvantaged schools in rural Cambodia where the colorful clothing is made.

Steve Patton handles the day-to-day operations managing inventory, shipping product and working with customers at his family’s home in Stow. Jacob Daniels, an English teacher in Cambodia, works with local artisans and schools.

During a school visit on Christmas Day, Daniels donned a Santa cap as he delivered 300 notebooks and pens to secondary school students in the island village Prek Bongkong.

“As we carried the boxes over to the courtyard, we were greeted by a couple of hundred smiling children who were standing with great anticipation,” Daniels said in his blog. “The smiling children then came to collect their Christmas gifts. That look in their eyes was truly priceless. They were so happy to receive their school supplies.”

Earlier that month, Daniels delivered supplies to primary school students in the capital city of Phnom Penh.

Locals, most of them farmers, must live on about $20 to $40 per month and necessities like food and clothing take precedence over school supplies

“Schools are not properly funded and they lack a lot of pretty simplistic things, such as pens, notebooks and papers, which we take for granted,” said Patton.

After teaching English in Cambodia for about a year, Daniels approached Patton with the idea of selling locally made scarves and donating some of the proceeds to area schools.

“I learned a lot about the history of Cambodia from Jake,” said Patton. “They had a lot of political strife during the Vietnam War and it has continued to this day. It’s an up-and-coming country, but it definitely has its fair share of problems. I figured what better way to start giving back than with schools. I thought it sounded like a cool idea.”

The two L-S alumni formed Cambodian Threads and began selling the scarves late last year; school donations followed.

“We have received positive responses from people, both about the scarves and the idea in general,” said Patton.

Artisans make the scarves in Prek Bongkong, located on the Mekong River about 20 miles from Phnom Penh. The scarves are made of naturally dyed raw silk cultivated by local Cambodian farmers.

Cambodian Threads offers scarves in a variety of designs and colors, which sell for $19.99 on the Web site www.cambodianthreads.com.

In the future, Patton and Daniels plan to sell their merchandise at retail stores, which they hope will increase sales and allow them to make regular donations.

Patton and his brother, Mike, who designed the Web site, are planning a February trip to Phnom Penh to meet the artisans and develop a more comprehensive marketing plan.

“We are starting with scarves and hope to eventually get into other garments,” he said.

Source: http://www.wickedlocal.com