Fundraising for the people of Kosovo and Metohija

While visiting various Serbian Orthodox Monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija in Summer of 2018, Djordje Milic, President of Bay Area Serbs (BAS), had a pleasure of spending a week at Draganac Monastery, the only operating Serbian monastery that remains in eastern Kosovo, where he met all monks and Abbot, Ilarion Lupulovic, who shared with Milic his wish to remodel an old house located on the monastery property in an attempt to attract a larger number of people to come visit and spend some time at the monastery learning not only about Serbian Orthodox religion and Serbian history in Kosovo, but also about how to live dedicated to Christ and grow spiritually. In return, the visitors would pay for the housing, and the funds would be used to both maintain and grow the monastery to provide economic opportunities for the local, Serbian community.   


The estimate provided by a local engineering company for the project was $25,500, and the scope of work included installing a new sewer line, implementing water and electricity, and completing plumbing and electric work within the interior of the house. Upon his return to Walnut Creek, CA, USA, where Milic resides, he gathered local, Serbian community and shared Abbot Lupulovic’s wish with them. 


Knowing that this would not only help the monastery and the local Serbian community living in Kosovo but would also educate others who would be able to visit the monastery, the Serbian community in San Francisco’s Bay Area united together and was determined to do their best to help the monastery. The group named themselves Bay Area Serbs and, with united efforts, had in December of 2018 organized and held a fundraising event in Moraga, CA that collected $16,600 for the monastery.   


While the funds collected through the event helped begin the work on the project, more funds were needed to complete the remodeling the monastery house. In the meantime, the engineering company agreed to complete the project on the house with the monastery’s promise that $8,900 would be compensated to the company to cover the difference between the cost and the amount collected through the event held in Moraga, CA, which is the reason why BAS initiated this Zoom Fundraiser Panel Discussion titled "Kosovo and Matohija - Our Home."   


This time, however, BAS isn’t alone as multiple Serbian Orthodox Church’s priests, a renowned Serbian historian and an award-winning author joined the initiative to support this great cause. We know that we can count on your help and contribution as well. 


Every penny counts – for Draganac, for Kosovo, for Serbia!



БАС
11.26.2020.