Maria House

The Plan

Dreams come alive...

...for children that are given something to believe in, and that is what Maria House will do for so many orphaned teen girls who will have their first real home here. Maria House will include individuals sleeping rooms for two girls, lounges decorated by the residents, and a kitchen and dining room where everyone will help be responsible for meals.

The plan...

...EAC's Margaret Cole, Rob Sanford and Trisha Sikora were instrumental in establishing a plan to do something to assist these girls. EAC and Project Sunshine began facilitating the immense project of finding the proper housing for physical as well as educational/vocational care of these students.

It's hard to imagine the daunting task of renovating an old mansion (which has been vacant since 1989) into a dormitory/school for the girls. The building was a part of a self-sufficient farming community. The land and buildings were owned by the government and had not had much attention since the fall of Communism. This building in Luktinol, Russia (Vladimir Region, East of Moscow) seemed the ideal place to create our educational community.

The Maria House places a special emphasis on the arts. A portion of the Maria House is designated as a fully operational theatre space, complete with lighting, sound and audience accommodation. This theatre will provide many opportunities for student involvement such as acting, costume making, set building, play writing, ect.

Art play another important roll for the Maria House project. Last winter, Project Sunshine provided children's homes with art supplies. When we returned in the spring, the children presented us with beautiful paintings, quilting and sculpture. Through a series of art events scheduled across the country, the artwork (beautifully matted and framed by Rob Sanford) is being sold to raise money and promote awareness of these talented children's plight.