Canopy & Cookies was a heartwarming community service initiative organised by the Rotaract Club of Kandy on April 17th, 2026, aimed at sharing warmth, joy, and simple acts of kindness with the children from the Vivekananda Children’s Home, Batticaloa. For these children, visiting the hill country and exploring a forest reserve were entirely new experiences.The project came to life at 5:00 PM under the serene green canopy of the Dunumadalawa Forest Reserve, where the club hosted a cosy outdoor tea party. To give the children a cute and deeply personalised experience, the team prepared neatly arranged snack boxes containing a cupcake, a mini burger, a savoury roll, and a signature cookie, each beautifully finished with a custom project-name sticker. The evening was spent sharing these treats, engaging in heartfelt conversations, and bonding with the kids, turning a simple afternoon into a magical and comforting memory for everyone involved. The project’s central objective was to to provide a comforting, joyful, and entirely new outdoor experience for the institutionalised children of the Vivekananda Children’s Home, Batticaloa. To create a sense of belonging and warmth through direct interaction, fellowship, and meaningful conversation between club members and the children. To deliver a highly personalised and memorable treat experience by curating meticulously packed, custom-labelled snack boxes for every child. To utilise the serene, natural environment of the Dunumadalawa Forest Reserve to create a peaceful and magical afternoon escape for the visitors. Instant Joy and Comfort: The immediate silence of the forest was transformed into an evening of laughter, providing the children with an instant sense of warmth, happiness, and belonging through personal interactions.
