LONG BEACH, CA: Saumya Gurbani was declared first place winner in the high school category of India Heritage Awards while Meera Midha took the top award in the middle school category on May 4 in a glittering ceremony at Crystall Ballroom, Golden Sails Hotel, Long Beach.

CONCORD: The city of Concord held its 5th Annual Spring Festival 2008 on Saturday April 26. It was hosted by Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and Federation of Indo-Americans Association, Northern California.

FREMONT: The Bay Area chapter of the Akshaya Patra Foundation is kicking off the chapter by hosting a talk by Gururaj "Desh" Deshpande, chairman of Sycamore Networks, Inc., A123 Systems and Tejas Networks, on "Akshaya Patra - A Success Story."

LOS ANGELES: The work of India Friends Association exceeds many expectations and exudes integrity. Listening to the members comments, watching video footage, looking through the brochure brought out on their 14th anniversary at the 2008 Archana Discovery of India event , one is aware of the monumental efforts of IFA in empowering the poor in India.

BUENA PARK: Gyani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib is currently on a US tour. Taking time off from his busy schedule, Gyani Ji visited the Buena Park sangat Saturday May 4.

LOS ANGELES, CA: Baisakhi 2008 was celebrated Friday, April 25, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Hosted by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Indo American Advisory Council, the event was in honor of the Los Angeles County Sheriff, Leroy D. Baca.

ARTESIA, CA: "Listening? Interested?" With these words, Art of Living master teacher Rishi Nityapragya skillfully and mischievously grabbed the group's attention at Buena Park's Jain Center on Saturday night.

TRACY, CA: The Sant Nirankari Mission, a spiritual movement working towards universal brotherhood, celebrates 'Manav Ekta Divas' (Human Unity Day), every year in the month of April by organizing blood donation camps and health fairs all over the world.

CHINO HILLS, CA: In an effort to promote environmental awareness, the youth volunteers of BAPS Charities gave back to Mother Nature by participating in the Annual Earth Day festivities held on April 19.

ANAHEIM, CA: On Saturday, April 26, the Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA), in cooperation with the Manzanar Committee, the Japanese American Citizens League and Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress, led a group of some 100 Southern California Muslims on a daylong pilgrimage to a former internment camp known as the "Manzanar War Relocation Center."