A Change of Guard

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Thursday 3 May 2012

Reinhardt: Ex-Redbird Siskowic tackles Cambodia cause


Cameron Siskowic’s infectious personality has served him well since leaving Illinois State.
The former Redbird football player who was the 2006 Gateway Conference Defensive Player of the Year took that personality to Las Vegas and former Sisko Promotions.
Siskowic carved a successful business out of helping Vegas night spots attract customers. He’s even expanded into opening his own nightclubs in Vegas and Miami.
Yet Siskowic has recently adopted another cause, a decidedly less glamorous one as the president of fundraising for the Cambodian Village Fund.

Siskowic has visited Cambodia, which is still feeling the devastating effects of the murderous rule of the Khmer Rouge decades ago, and called it a “life changing experience.”
Upon returning, he became aware of fellow San Diego natives Bill and Nancy Bamberger and their Cambodian Village Fund through a newspaper article.
“Our visions were very much the same on how to help the people,” Siskowic said. “It was just meant to be.”
Siskowic is focusing on providing rural villages medical services, educational opportunities, nutritional essentials and continuing sources for development. Siskowic wants to “give a hand up instead of a handout.”
A five-room classroom school and medical center, The Dan Siskowic Medical Center in memory of Cameron’s father, will open soon.
Siskowic is often asked “why Cambodia?”
“Traveling through Cambodia, I fell in love with the country and the people and the rich history,” he said. “A dollar goes so far in Cambodia. You can help so many more people with your money and I felt like it was sustainable. I was able to build a whole medical center for $15,000.”
A cancer scare at the age of 15 left Siskowic with a strong desire to leave a positive impact on the world. He has found the cause at which to direct that passion.
“At the end of the day, did I leave the world a better place or is it just the same?” he said.
Siskowic plans another visit to Cambodia in January in an attempt to gauge the fund’s progress and offer further assistance.
The fund accepts donations through its website: cambodianvillagefund.org. Donations also may be mailed to Cambodian Village Fund, 4376 Argos Drive, San Diego, Calif., 92116-2330.
Contact Randy Reinhardt at rreinhardt@pantagraph.com

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