East-Coast Cricket Festival (Henry Steel Olcott Challenge Trophy)
For 15 years, ACOBA-EC has successfully organized the biggest annual gathering of Sri Lankans in the eastern US with old boys from schools in Sri Lanka participating in a limited-over cricket tournament, competing for the Henry Steel Olcott Challenge Trophy. This tournament, the brainchild of three old Anandians: Lasitha Abeysekera, Kheminda Jayawardena, and Samantha Rajapakse, has blossomed over the years into a festival of not only cricket but many other activities including a live band, volleyball, mini-golf, organized activities for children, food and variety of other stalls; generating a true carnival atmosphere for all to enjoy. June 2022 completion was among 10 teams representing Ananda, Nalanda, Royal, St. Thomas, St. Peters, St. Josephs, St. Johns (Jaffna), Mahanama, Isipathana, and Trinity colleges, bringing out a day of high-quality cricket played with true comradeship. The 2022 Olcott Challenge Trophy was won by Royal College who edged out Mahanama College in the final.
Ranaviru Upahara
Each year, ACOBA-EC gathers at the New Jersey Buddhist Vihara, to commemorate the heroes in the armed forces who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. We held a modest ceremony to honor and offer merits to those gallant soldiers and to wish peace and happiness to those heroes still amongst us. In addition, ACOBA-EC donated equipment worth Rs. 130,000 to the Ranaviru Sewana, Ragama in Sri Lanka (May 2022).
Founder’s Day Remembrance
Every year, ACOBA-EC commemorates our founder, Col. Henry Steel Olcott, through almsgiving, providing aid to a charity, or food to homeless shelters / soup kitchens. This year's event was held at the Ozanam Shelter in Edison, NJ (Nov 2022)
