Interested in Bridge Lessons? Contact Patti Lee for more information.
Visit www.banyantreeorganization.com for more details about our activity at ALL of our schools in Cambodia.
Please Donate To Help Sustain Schools In Cambodia We Have Built. Join Patti Lee and Barbara Seagram In Their Journey To Give Back & Contribute To Sustaining Our Four Schools Built In Cambodia.
Tax receipt will be issued for any donation over $25.00 AND if you donate $100.00 CAD or more, you receive a tax receipt and a BONUS: A PDF of the book: Pocket Guide To Defensive Play at Bridge. Donated by Master Point Press.
Patti & Barbara have a partnership with A Vision For Clean Water (AVFCW), a charity headquartered in Troy, Michigan. AVFCW's mission is to provide safe drinking water and sanitation to those who need them through education and collaboration.
Scott Brills is a Board Member of AVFCW and travelled to Cambodia in October, 2019 to see in-person some of our projects. Our Director, Savin, showed Scott our projects.
Travel with Scott as he tours our projects from the back of Savin's motorbike.
You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/OZPA915J2as (YouTube, 19 mins).
Intermediate / Advanced Bridge Lessons on Zoom
... with Patti Lee
Coming in the Fall >>>> Declarer Play
This will be a fundraiser for Patti Lee's & Barbara Seagram's Cambodian Projects. For information, see pattilee.ca.
A tax receipt will be given for the full amount. Enjoy some bridge lessons while you are supporting a great cause.
Did you miss these lessons?
Fall, 2020 (Distributional Hands)
... OR ...
January, 2021 (All about NT)
... OR ...
March, 2021 (All About Slams)
For more info, call Patti Lee at (416) 606-0848 or email
OVER $60,000 raised!
A HUGE THANK YOU to ALL!!!
Last Fall, I started the journey of teaching bridge on zoom. Of course, I had lots of technology to learn. But I also had no material in the way that it would be required for online teaching.
But you were all amazing. You signed up for the lessons in the Fall and enthusiastically supported me. What a wonderful gift that was!
Two other people stepped forward and became co-hosts for me throughout all three series - Cyndy Winkler & Phil Mercurio! They both did this completely as volunteers. I truly could not have done this without their constant support. They helped some attendees to get onto the system, answered many of their questions, watched the "chat line" for me, and interrupted me as appropriate during the lessons. WOW!!! Two very wonderful and generous individuals!
In January, we had our 2nd series of lessons, with the number of attendees increasing on both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. And in March, 2021, when running my 3rd series, I actually had to tell some people that there was no more room. And still, most of those people, opted to obtain the handouts and links to the utubes. What a fantastic support force you all have been!
As a result of my online endeavours, you all donated over $60,000. WOW!!!
This represents enough money to support our schools for one year, as well as pay the tuition and books for our three University Students. Although our schools are currently closed, we are still paying the teachers and librarians during this difficult time. We all look forward to a time when the schools can be re-opened safely.
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! to each and every one of you for your support. You are truly a wonderful group of people, so generous and kind.
MORE THANK YOU's for ADDITIONAL DONATIONS!
...to IG Wealth Management, who recently made a donation to our Cambodian Projects. We are so appreciative of their generous donation. Please consider supporting them. You can call Michael Dytnerski directly at (905) 467-3747. Thanks again, Michael and IG Wealth Management, for your thoughtfulness.
...to IBM Canada Ltd for their recent donation to our Cambodian Projects. We are so appreciative of their generous donation. Please consider IBM in any of your computer needs. Thanks again, IBM Canada Ltd, for your wonderful donation.
...to the Rotary Club of Toronto West for their recent donation to our Cambodian Projects. This is a targeted donation that will allow us to build a toilet for an impoverished village family. There are many that do not have a safe, private toilet. The absence of a safe, private toilet leads to serious health issues, as well as sexual abuse of women and girls. Thanks again to all of the members of Toronto West Rotary. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.
With much appreciation
Patti Lee
Successful Fundraiser for Water Filters in Laos!
Did you know? On On September 23rd. Patti Lee gave a presentation on Zoom, along with Steve Rutledge, President and Founder of Adopt A Village In Laos, followed by a lecture from Barbara Seagram.
Listen and watch the Laos Presentation by Patti Lee and Steve Rutledge!
The class money from the September 23rd and the second lesson by Barbara on September 30th lessons went to the purchasing of water filters in Laos.
Patti Lee and Barbara Seagram would like to thank all of you for your very generous donations to Cambodia and Laos this spring and fall. We have now raised over $58,000.00 for our five Cambodia schools and other outreach programmes in Cambodia and OVER $41,000.00 for Laos (Adopt A Village in Laos) for the purchase of water filters. We are thrilled and cannot thank you enough. The money goes such a long way in these countries.
Without a water filter, the villagers have to boil their water (did you know that even if you boil the water, it would have to be re-boiled later on in the day or it becomes contaminated again).
A water filter is provided for every family in the village and a lesson on sanitation/hygiene.
The filters last for over 12 years with very little care and maintenance.
This page updates frequently. Please come back soon.
Canadian Kindness Felt in Faraway Cambodia
Most people in the bridge world know Barbara Seagram as one of the top teachers, a prolific author and an intrepid tour guide. What's not so well known is how far she will go to help her fellow mankind.
About three years ago, Seagram and fellow tour guide Patti Lee discovered a need in Cambodia and went into action.
Today, they and their supporters sustain the operations of four schools in Phnom Penh area, paying for electricity, supplies (including computers) and the salaries of teachers and librarians.
Funds to help run the schools come from the bridge players of Canada.
"We couldn't do it without them," says Lee, a retired IBM accountant executive who took up teaching and directing bridge after leaving the company.
Lee has traveled with Seagram for 20 years, organizing and escorting bridge groups in various parts of the world.
Seagram is gratified at what she and the bridge players of Canada have managed so far but she is realistic: "There's so much that needs to be done." Continued...
Please visit the Banyan Tree Organization website. Your donation will be used for the construction and operations of the schools. The schools are supported from donations through the Bridge Groups from Canada and the U.S.A.
