3 January, 2009 : For the second time, this year too “The Winter Camp for the children” will be conducted at Woodcot during the winter holidays from 3 January,2009. The doors of Woodcot/SASAC and all the facilities that we have at our disposal, would be open the to the less privileged children of our locality and train them to use the computers, type-writers etc. along with spoken English classes as well a lot of indoor games. This way we are able to help a lot of children to spend their holidays in a very useful and healthy manner.

20 November, 2008 : Deby Cumming and her friend Nancy were welcomed at Woodcot/SASAC. We were very happy to see her after more than a year. Deby brought some clothes for the children all the way from Canada. After spending a day with the children and working with in the SMVG and in the flower garden Deby and her friend left Woodcot on the very next day afternoon.

Our children have finished their annual examinations and are anxiously waiting for their results. After an early Christmas celebrations, the children would home for their winter holidays and will be back when the schools reopen.

16 November, 2008 : Noami Lobo from Canada and her friend Kornelija from Lithuania came to work as volunteers at Woodcot, till the end of November.

2 November, 2008 : We had two surprise visitors from Switzerland. Suzanne and Celina who were on a Bike trip to Darjeeling and on the way Celina fell ill on the way and some of our neighbours reached them at Woodcot. After two days of rest at Woodcot they continued their adventurous trip to Darjeeling.

19 October, 2008 : Hazel Bradley an old Friend of Fr. Tommy,S.J from L’Arche community in London and her friend Eleanor from Maymensingh in Bengladesh came spend a week at Woodcot.

17 October, 2008 : Up to now, many of the children whose entire school fees, uniform, text books and all the other expenses that we have paid, like Dawa Bhutia- end of February, Namita Baraily-14th July, Rakesh Motay-2nd August, Diwakar Rizal -23rd September, Choden and her sister Aden sherpa on 17th October have left Woodcot at the request of some of the former members of SASAC who began their own centers with the help of some of the SASAC Supporters Coalition in Canada .

30 september, 2008 : Stella Rai, after taking care of Dew-Villa and living there for more almost thirty years, has moved out to her own home. She was allowed to take everything that she wanted.

23 September, 2008 : We began to make the SASAC JHOLAS/ Woolen Bags in our weaving centre Edelweiss/Dew-Villa in a very small scale. We will be training more young women and girls in the coming days so that, they will be able to make a living out of making the woolen bags.

20 September, 2008 : In the morning at 8.00 am, Scott Harrington and Chris paid a surprise and unannounced short visit to SASAC/Woodcot. They brought some used clothes, colour pencils and crayons for the children. They Children were very happy to have those gifts.

11 June, 2008 : Fr. Edward Arockiaraj, S.J left for Tertianship, after staying at Woodcot for almost one and half years.

28 May, 2008 : We trained a group of 10 men for seven days in Square Meter Vegetable Gardening and compost making.

5 May, 2008 : The independent Evaluation Team comprising of Mr.Bob, Mrs.Deepti and Fr. Prakash Louis came to Woodcot.

3 May, 2008 : Eco-Club Seminar organized by Sr. Ranjini, H.C was held at Woodcot from 9.30AM to 3.30 PM. Students from many Schools participated in it.

1 May, 2008 : During the holidays, Scholastic Stanley guided the children in their studies and taught them to use the computers till the end of June.

6 April, 2008 : After the hard work of more than three months, this evening the new refectory with the necessary furniture was blessed . It was also the farewell meal for Nigma Dorjee Tamang, Deepraj Rizal and Uday Gurung, who left for their studies in Motor Mechanics in Don Bosco Technical Training Centre in Kalimpong. They were the first ones to be send for the Technical Training, so that once they complete their studies, they would be able to earn enough money for their livelihood.

3 February, 2008 : Children began to return to SASAC after their winter holidays. We asked some of the economically better off children to stay at home and study. Even though there were many very poor children who wanted to stay at Woodcot and study, due to the financial difficulties we kept only thirty five children . We decided to financially help ten more children for their education, but they would be going to school from their respective homes.

31 January, 2008 : Last day of the Winter Camp for the Local Children. We had some cultural program and distributed prizes to the winners. The Camp ended with a tea party. The children and their parents expressed their happiness for opening the doors of Woodcot for the children of the neighbourhood.

26 January, 2008 : In the evening there was heavy storm and hail stones. At 1.30 am we experienced heavy Snow fall in Sepoydhura , Kurseong.

3 January, 2008 : The Winter Camp for more than 75 children began. The primary purpose of the Camp was to share the facilities that were available at our disposal, such as computers, type-writers, carom boards, table tennis and other indoor and outdoor games articles with the less privileged children and to teach them to speak in English

22 December, 2007 : Some of the senior members, Cecilia, Neeta Sudhir and his family, some of whom have lived and worked at SASAC for almost thirty years have moved out of Woodcot. Fr. Tommy,S.J allowed them to take along with them all that they wanted to begin their life outside SASAC. Most of the children left for their homes. Fr. Tommy made the arrangement with Cecila and paid the money needed for the winter expenses of Prabin , Prabina, Pratima, Puja Sachin and Shanti till they return to SASAC after the winter holidays.

During the winter holidays, Fr. Tommy and Fr. Edu visited the homes of the Children who lived at SASAC/Woodcot in order to study the economic and social conditions of their families.

20 December, 2007 : Two Jesuits, Bro. Robert Lakra and Scholastic Henric Emmanuel joined SASAC to help out for the winter camp for the local chidren.

15 December,2007 : We had our Christmas celebration at 5.30 pm, before the children left for their winter holidays. The Jesuit fathers and brother from Wery Niwas came to the celebrations. Fr. Tommy wrote his first News letter and sent it to the press for printing.

8 December, 2007 : Mr. Anjan Dutta, the Bengali Film Producer and his crew of 47 people came to SASAC/Woodcot for the shooting of one of his Bengali Films. All of us had an opportunity to see the film shooting and some of our children had the privilege of appearing in it. The Darjeeling Superintendent of Police, Mr. Rajesh Subarno dropped in at SASAC on his way back from Siliguri. The CBI team came for a sport visit to SASAC.

17 November, 2007 : The Parents of our children came to Woodcot for the children’s day celebration and for a meeting. They expressed their happiness over the improvement that their children made in their studies as well as in their basic attitudes. The parents thanked Fr. Tommy, and expressed their gratitude for sending the children home, to be with their near and dear ones, during the Puja and Diwali holidays.

23 October, 2007 : Farewell Mass for the friends and benefactors began at 5.30PM with the lighting of the lamps by Jane Davidson, Bev McKee Ted and Shirley Valentine followed by other friends. Fr.Tommy,S.J offered the Thanksgiving mass for the friends and benefactors of the Jesuit Works at SASAC/Woodcot . Soon after the Mass we had our Farewell Dinner with our Friends. On 24 October , Eighteen of our senior children and Fr.Edward Arockiaraj,S.J went to the Bagdogra Airport to see off our Friends from Canada.

15 October, 2007 : Nineteen of our Canadian Friends and supporters of SASAC, under the able leadership of Jane Davidson were welcomed at Woodcot. Fr. Tommy garlanded the guests and gave the welcome address to them.

12 October, 2007 : John and Ann visited some of the other works of the Jesuits in Darjeeling province and met Fr. Peter Pappu, S.J and Fr. William Bourke, S.J.

9 October, 2007 : Our Canadian Friends and benefactors Ann Talbot, John Ellis, Dick and Jane Pickerings were welcomed at Woodcot.

4 September, 2007 : Fr. Peter Pappu, S.J the Provincial of the Darjeeling Jesuits came to SASAC/Woodcot for the Annual visitation and met all the lay leaders and asked them to prepare Budget for the training programs.

23 August, 2007 : After living and working at Woodcot, the old Jesuit villa (later also known as SASAC), for almost three decades, Fr. Abraham,S.J moved to Wery Niwas, the Jesuit Community that is close to St. Alphonsus School.

18 May, 2007 : George Allen and Rachel Winzer from England came to spent a month with us at SASAC. They taught English at R.N Sinha School at Sepoydhura as well as helped the SASAC children in many ways. They left SASAC on 18/6/2007.

14 May, 2007 : Ratan Bishwakarma asked the permission to go home for a well deserved rest at home. Ratan was paid for his medical expenses while he was at home. With the inspiration of the former Director of SASAC, “The SASAC Supporters Coalition” was formed in Canada.

17 March, 2007 : Mrs. Jane Davidson arrived here for a short visit to SASAC and returned to Canada on 27 March,2007.

13 March, 2007 : After negotiating with the West Bengal State Electricity Board for more than two months over the reconnection of power supply to SASAC, that was disconnected about 7 years ago, for the non-payment of huge dues of over three years were cleared and once again we were able to have electric power supply at a cheaper cost compare to the cost of running the generators .It was indeed a day of great rejoicing at SASAC.

26-28 February, 2007 : Mr. Scott Harrington and the group of 22 students and 4 staff members from the American School of Dubai, lived and worked with the SASAC Family. It was indeed a very enriching experience of sharing our love and lives with one another.

8 February, 2007 : Fr. Edward Arociaraj,S.J joined the SASAC Family. Fr. Edu as he is known will teach dance and music to the children, besides his duties as a teacher at St. Alphonsus School.

5 February, 2007 : Mr. Scott Lazenby and his family (Deby Cummings, Quinn and Chevy) came to live with the SASAC family for a month. They were of great support to us at our moments of great need.

3 January, 2007 : Fr. Tommy,S.J took charge as the Director of the Jesuit work at SASAC to manage the various works and to organize the place at a very crucial moment of its history, with a huge financial debt and an empty coffer. In order to reduce the debts we had to tighten our belts. We had to take serious measures to reduce our expenses on the Dairy and piggery, that had already incurred a huge debt on feeds. And as a result we closed down our dairy and piggery that were running at a huge loss. Every step that we took was rather painful, because our very existence was at stake.

After a series of meetings with the people concerned we had to make some serious choices in managing the affairs of SASAC. Fr. Peter Pappu, S.J the Jesuit Provincial was very generous in supporting the works of SASAC as well as to bail us out of the huge financial debts that were incurred.

11 December, 2006 : Fr. Abraham was admitted in Navjeevan Hospital Gayaganga, since he was unable to pass urine and stool. On 28 December, 2006 He was shifted to Kolkota for the prostrate surgery.

8 November, 2006 : Fr. Tommy met Fr. Abraham and discussed with him about the ways and means to reduce the debts that were already soaring to the skies for the past few months after the funds were frozen.

30 October, 2006 : Fr. Abraham, the Director of SASAC, addressed the workers and told them that he could no longer employ them due to the lack of money.

28 October, 2006 : Opening of the SASAC-II, Training Centre in Chimney by Mr. Ben Hachhausen, Jeannie and Jim Brown. Ben and his family, were the major benefactors who funded for the construction of the new training Centre at Chimney. We are really grateful to them for all their generous support for this project and will continue to remember and pray for them for their love and generosity for the people of Kurseong. Dr. Bill, Mary Beaton and Mrs. Glenda Knight were present at the occasion. Glenda worked hard to set up the beautiful Green House at the new training centre as well as in many other areas for the culmination of the great event.

20 October, 2006 : At 9.00am was indeed a very memorable day for Fr. Tommy,S.J the new Director of SASAC / Woodcot. Fr. Tommy, S.J was surprised by the warm welcome that he received from all the workers and the local people with a lot of publicity.

3 July, 2006 : Fr. Tommy, S.J the came to SASAC and began to learn about the various works of SASAC in helping the poor to help themselves. Fr. Abraham, S.J, continued to function as the director and Fr. Tommy, S.J began to be involved the various works such as working in the Dairy, compost factory, hollow block making , village marketing, Square Meter gardening, and in the evening minding the study of the children etc.

1 July, 2006 : In the month of April 2006 the Government of India has frozen the Foreign Bank Account of the Darjeeling Jesuits of North Bengal and as a result of it most of the works of SASAC came to a standstill since all the works of SASAC depended a lot on the inflow of money from Abroad. SASAC had no money invested for its future works. Fr. Joseph Murray Abraham S.J, who was the Founder of SASAC in 1975 was already advanced in age (81 years) and was suffering from heart ailments, Fr. Peter Pappu,S.J, the Provincial of the Darjeeling Jesuits of North Bengal has appointed Fr. K.A Thomas/ Tommy,S.J as the New Director of SASAC, with effect from 1 July,2006.