If you don’t know Jim Luce, you’re missing out on something special. But if you don’t know this low key, soft-spoken, that’s no surprise. His impact on young people, especially orphans, happens without a lot of noise. And now, the receding pandemic has let him get back to work.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Jim Luce: Out of the Pandemic, Back on the Road
“Our India trip will be first to Gaya, Bihar to open our Saraswati Centre. It features a free primary school, orphan home ground-breaking, and possible pop-up health clinic,” he writes.
Moving on…
Then, he’s off “to visit the university library we hope to sponsor — In Maoist guerrilla territory.” When he could be home on Roosevelt Island, directing from a distance.
Luce is not known for taking the easy way out. Commitment and hard work saves lives.
In Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh “I meet with the team of H.H. The Dalai Lama who we partner with for…Manjushree Orphanage in Tawang, Arunachsl Pradesh, once part of Old Tibet.
“The Indian Army seized it from China when the Dalai Lama arrived in 1959 when Tibet was annexed by China. Our two-day, 4×4 trip over the Himalayan Mountains on the Tibetan/Chinese border in a military zone closed to the world.”
Helicopter is possible if the weather cooperates, which is seldom… “
“The $800k academic building we helped construct for Manjushree Orphanage stands 9,000 feet up. Hard to acclimate at first…
“For years, we ran two centers just below India in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami (as we did in Aceh, Indonesia), and plan on meeting with fellow Lions across neighboring Bangladesh beginning in January.”
All this is quietly organized and energized from Roosevelt Island with Jim Luce at the wheel. And now, mostly on foot.
Internet access is, of course, a challenge along this route, but Luce promised to keep us informed when possible. We will update when we can.
More from the roosevelt island daily
- Roosevelt Island summer moments: Community, events, and the beat of the seasonExperience Roosevelt Island summer moments as neighbors gather, city events unfold, and community rhythms keep the season steady. Discover how our island balances celebrations and everyday traditions.
- Queens Neighborhood News and Community Updates from Across the RiverStay informed with the latest Queens neighborhood news and community updates from across the river, including public safety, events, and how neighboring stories shape our daily life.
- Queens and Brooklyn Legal News That Impacts Roosevelt IslandExplore Queens and Brooklyn legal news that impacts Roosevelt Island, with updates on major cases, community incidents, civic efforts, and neighborhood resilience.
- Queens News Highlights and How They Affect Roosevelt IslandExplore Queens news highlights and how they affect Roosevelt Island, covering legal developments, local business changes, transit updates, and community events that ripple across neighborhoods.
- How Western Queens’ Neighborhood Changes Shape Roosevelt Island Summer LifeDiscover how western Queens’ neighborhood changes shape Roosevelt Island summer life, from transit updates to ice cream spots and political shifts that affect local routines.
Old RIOC, New Lawyer
President Jones has become better at saying RIOC cares.
2 COMMENTS