FREMONT, CA: The Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care ‘Make a Difference’ Charity Gala was held on June11 evening at Sakoon Banquet Hall in Fremont. $ 263000 were raised for the construction of a new 200 bed multi-specialty charitable Hospital in Dharampur, serving the entire Valsad District of about 1.4 million tribal people in Gujarat, India.
Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur is an organization through which the Shrimad Rajchandra Hospital has been able to offer a variety of medical services to those in need. Entirely volunteer driven, this hospital is regularly over occupied at 130-140% capacity.
The evening began with about 105 guests mingling over delicious snacks after which they were ushered into the main hall .The program began with a Navkar Mantra, Jain prayer, sang by Madhvi Mehta.
Continuing on Raj Doshi, Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care USA SF head, welcomed the guests. He introduced the master of ceremonies for the evening, comedian Rajiv Satyal.
Satyal then invited Dr. Chintan Mehta to give a hospital presentation. Dr. Mehta spoke on the plight of the tribal communities, how the infant mortality rate has been reduced, and the comprehensive humanitarian-care and health-care being provided by Shrimad Rajchandra Hospital which has served over one million patients since 2004. Dr. Mehta explained the need and plans of the new hospital with a video presentation.”We need something greater,” he said.
Dr. Nilima Ragavan is Medical director, Packard Special Care Nursery at Sequoia, Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine. Attending Neonatologist, Stanford NICU.
She has personally visited the Hospital twice in Dharampur. She spoke about how impressed she was with the quality of healthcare provided by the current SR Hospital, the training of the doctors and staff, the complex cases the doctors were handling, the lives the hospital has saved, and why there is a clear need to enhance these capabilities in Valsad District.
Nine years old Anaaya Mittal spoke about her experience during her India visit. She has decided to donate her birthday monies to the cause. She implored the audience to donate generously so every child has the opportunity to live a better life. “All of you here have the opportunity to save the lives of children and adults in India,” said Anaya.
For fundraising, Satyal called on stage professional auctioneer, Rick Werner. Werner, assisted by volunteers Gaurang Desai and Bhavesh Shah took bids for amounts ranging from $100 to $75,000.
Generous donations were made by Kirit and Pramila Daftary, Milan and Mamta Shah, Mukesh and Harsha Patel, Sheilaja and Vikram Mittal, Shailesh and Kalpa Mehta, Sharad and Pragna Dabhawala, Kundi and Bipin Kapadia, Kiran and Saroj Saklecha, Dr. Dinesh and Panna Bhuva, Manher Naik, Monisha and Hemant Bheda, Suresh and Sudha Gandhi, and Dimple and Dhimant Bhayani along with many others before and during the event.
Kirit Daftary, took the opportunity to inform the audience that he will match dollar for dollar raised, up to $50,000 more. With this news Werner, Satyal, and everyone else in attendance geared up to work harder to raise the remaining amount so that Kirit and Pramila Daftary would match the amount raised. Thanks to the assistance of Kirit and Pramila Daftary, the goal of $200,000 was not only met but exceeded. Together the amount raised came close to $263,000.
In this excitement dinner was served. Guests were treated to delicious Jain food followed by musical treat by famous musicians in America, Madhvi and Asim Mehta & Group. Everyone enjoyed melodious songs from variety of eras accompanied by Parimal Zaveri on tabla and various assortments of musical instruments. Kalpa Mehta and Sharad Dhabawalla and many more came and danced with live music and had fun.
Bringing the evening to a close, Raj Doshi, San Francisco Chapter Head, thanked Mahesh Wadher, Kundi Kapadia, and the Sevaks (Gaurang and Charmi Desai,
Ankit and Priyanka Chheda, Niket Shah, Kruti and Pedro Baires, Lalit and Babita Sancheti, Surbhi Sheth-Shah, Milan and Mamta Shah, and Bina Shah) who assisted in making the entire event, from planning to closure possible and a success in a short time of just three weeks.
The Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care is also bringing Yugpurush, the play on July 21 at Chabot College and all proceeds will go to same hospital.
India Post News Service
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