SEND A BACKPACK THAT'S FULL OF HOPE.

Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY 

Odds and ends from around the Valley:

If the photos you see in the coming months about the tsunami relief efforts include shots of children wearing American backpacks, you'll have Srini Perera of Woodland Hills to thank for it.

She returned home last month after visiting dozens of orphanages and schools in her Sri Lankan homeland with an idea that is sweeping through a growing number of San Fernando Valley schools right now:

American kids of all ages filling a backpack with school supplies and personal items for the kids their age in Sri Lanka who have lost everything, including their schools.

``It started with my own two children, Jeneeka and Niminde, telling their friends at Chaminade High School what we wanted to do, and it just spread from there,'' Srini said Thursday.

Chris Redondo, director of community service at the West Hills campus, said many of the 1,000 students there have gone out and bought new backpacks and school supplies to send to Sri Lanka.

St. Mel Elementary School, Welby Way Elementary School, and a half-dozen other campuses have backpack drives going, as well.

``Our students know a lot of the children in Sri Lanka have been displaced, and are struggling to get their education back,'' Redondo said.

``Filling a backpack with supplies they need and sending it to them is a natural.''

Srini came to the United States from Sri Lanka in the mid-'70s to attend California State University, Northridge, where she also met her future husband, Frank, also from Sri Lanka.

``We've designated seven schools in dire need to receive the backpacks,'' she said Thursday, beginning to think this crazy idea she had of shipping 5,000 filled backpacks to Sri Lanka this June could really happen.

If your school or family wants to help out, just have the kids prepare a backpack of school supplies for a student of the same grade level in Sri Lanka.

``As many of these kids have lost their parents and everything else they owned, a small token such as a stuffed animal or small toy will be appreciated,'' Srini said.

The backpacks should be labeled with the grade level of the child it is for, and also include your name and school address in case the Sri Lankan student wants to write you a thank you. Also include $2 to cover shipping.

The backpacks can be dropped off at the main office at Chaminade High School, 7500 Chaminade Ave., before March 24.

For more information, e-mail Srini at sriniperera(at)yahoo.com.

Commercial and private pilots from all over the country will be flying into Van Nuys Airport this weekend to honor their mentor, 83-year-old Ralph Truglio, on his 50th year as an instructor with the Kittyhawk Air Explorer Squadron at the airport.

The Boy Scouts of America flying club is sponsored by the North Hollywood Optimists Club. More than 1,000 young men have received their flight training there to earn their pilot's license.

``Ralph's had a tremendous impact on the lives of so many young men who grew up in the Valley with dreams of flying,'' said private pilot Josh Lober, who was a student of Ralph's back in the mid-'70s.

``We've got more than 65 pilots flying in to honor him, including pilots for Delta, United, American, America West, Fed Ex, and corporate pilots.''

Truglio, a retired San Fernando High School teacher, said he never thought he'd live long enough to see his 50th anniversary as a flight instructor at Kittyhawk.

``I thought I'd be buried and gone by now, so it's kind of nice to still be around and have so many of my students want to honor me like this,'' he said. ``I'm proud of them all.''

For more information on the Explorer squadron, call Ralph at [phone].

And finally, if you're looking for an afternoon of good Irish music, food and company next week, stop by the St. Patrick's Day sidewalk parade in Canoga Park from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday.

The event, sponsored by the Canoga Park Business Improvement Association, will start in front of the Madrid Theatre, 21622 Sherman Way, with some pre-parade live Irish bagpipe and Celtic band music, story telling, visiting leprechauns and local dignitaries.

``You don't have to be Irish to join in and march in the parade; every nationality is invited,'' said association board member Ray Holm. ``But we would like everyone to wear green.''

I'll be there, wearing green, so stop by and say hi.

Dennis McCarthy, [phone]

dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Jeneeka Perera, left, and her twin brother, Niminde Perera, both 14, look over the backpacks filled with school supplies they've collected for displaced and orphaned Sri Lankan tsunami victims.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer