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 <<CityNews Main Send Flowers to India!

 We invite associations, organizations and clubs from cities around the US to send in press releases accompanied with high resolution photos for publication in City News. Contributions may be sent to editor@NRIPulse.com.

Send Gifts to India!
Atlanta

Senior Citizens Celebrate Mother’s Day

BY MAHADEV DESAI 

Top: Raj Razdan with sponsors Roopa and Bhagu Ahuja    Bottom: Shashi Sidhaye, Raj Razdan, Giriraj Rao, Nalini Bhindi and Arunaben Patel

Senior Citizens Program (SCP) Inc.held a joyous Mothers Day luncheon for senior citizens at the Ashiana Restaurant Banquet Hall on Sunday, May 27.

As the Seniors began arriving, they were greeted at the entrance by the volunteers Arunaben Patel, Shashi Sidhaye, Nalini Bhindi and each lady member was given a red rose to mark the Mother's Day, and then they were escorted to be seated. The hall was filled to near capacity, when the Executive Director Raj Razdan extended a hearty welcome and a Happy Mothers Day to all the Mothers. She went on to recognize and thank the sponsors of the Luncheon, Bhagu and Roopa Ahuja. The Ahuja family is well recognized in the Indian American community, especially within the Sindhi community.

The entertainment program began with humble volunteers of 10 years Arunaben Patel and Shashi Sidhaye explaining the rules of the memory game to the Elders. They had placed about 40 assorted items on a trolley which was then carted around by Shashi Siddhaye the Coordinator for the games to each table. Each participant was shown the items and instructed to recall from memory and note numerically on a piece of paper as he or she remembered the items seen earlier. Majority of seniors were seen scratching their heads trying to remember different items. In the meanwhile, Mr Giriraj Rao as always, presented the volunteers with a bouquet of roses in appreciation of their selfless service..

Before announcing the results, the volunteers went around serving tasty snacks prepared by Ashiana restaurant. While the elders were relishing the snacks, Arunaben Patel, Shashi Sidhaye and Rajnibahi Parikh tallied the answer sheets and declared the winner- Mrs Shah, the winner with the sharpest memory. She was presented her award with fanfare.

The next fun game was an impromptu Fashion Parade by Mother's only! After some persuasion and encouragement, Mother's clad in colorful saris, Punjabi dresses, formed a semi circle. They were asked to walk in pairs towards the Judges. The Fashion parade elicited lot of fun, mirth and applause as the beautiful and bold ladies walked in pairs as though they were on the catwalk towards the Judges! The competition was so tough that the Judges unanimously decided to declare all the participants as winners. Move over Ashwariya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, Sushmita Sen, the seniors are coming!. This was indeed a tough act for the father's to follow on the forthcoming Father's day fancy dress competition.

The final game before lunch was a team challenge. All Seniors sitting around a table comprised a team. The teams were asked to make an alphabetical list of items they would carry for a picnic. The answers were quite imaginative and amusing. The winners of this game were each given a token prize by Arunaben Patel.

While the seniors were enjoying a delicious luncheon, light entertainment was provided by Mrs Kukreja, a Hindi Professor from India. She sang a Hindi bhajan, Ishwar ko yaad na kiya to kya yaad kiya, following which her husband Mr Kukreja, an English professor, engaged the audience with family banter.

Mrs Shail Sharma spoke about the significance of Mother's Day. She said that in Western society, parents feel unhappy because their children are indifferent and uncaring. Parents are remembered only on Fathers Day or Mothers Day. But it is not so in Indian culture where Indian children believe in matru devo bhava and pitru devo bhava-mothers and fathers are like Gods and deserve all the respect, love and caring Children appreciate the untold sacrifices made by their parents and grandparents in raising them and they reciprocate by taking care of their elderly parents and grandparents, she said.

After lunch, the seniors participated in one more hilarious game"Popping the Balloons". Two balloons were inflated and placed on two chairs and two seniors were invited to step forward and sit on top of the balloon without popping the same.The person who caused the balloon to burst was declared a loser. Rajnibhai Parikh obliged by popping the balloon.This game too was lot of fun to watch.The games as usual brings out the winner instinct in all the Elders . Moreover the interactive program provides lot of fun to all.

As a token of appreciation Raj Razdan, on behalf of the seniors, presented a bouquet of roses and complimented Bhagu and Roopa Ahuja for their sponsorship and congratulated them on their 40th Wedding Anniversary and requested them to cut the cake.

Raj Razdan, the Executive Director announced that Senior Citizens Program Inc.would be celebrating Father's Day in June and was also organizing a picnic on the last Sunday of July. And subsequently in October, a Variety Entertainment program would be staged to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the SCP along with the Diwali festival celebrations. She exhorted the Seniors to invite their friends and relatives to the show. She urged them to participate in the program-Fashion Show, skits, jokes, songs, Folks dances etc.The seniors were very excited about these forthcoming programs. 

Mrs. Janu Wassan complimented all the Senior Citizen volunteers for their compassion and dedicated service to the Seniors and for organizing Senior Citizen Programs in Atlanta for now over ten years. The other volunteers Mona Bhandari, Jyoti Dama, Minesh Modi and Poonam Datta who were out for the Memorial Day long weekend were missed by all the Seniors. Mrs Wassan said that the dedication and love of the volunteers for the Elders has made the Senior Citizen Program thrive and flourish in Georgia.
Rajnibhai Parikh thanked the Ahuja family for sponsoring the event and all the volunteers for organizing yet another successful Senior Citizen Program He also urged the seniors to take part in the Variety Show and help make it a great show. 

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