Lakshmi Iyer
India Post News Service
FREMONT, CA: Festival of Globe (FOG – http://www.fogsv.org) held its annual holiday Toy Drive on Sunday, December 16 at the Fremont Hindu Temple. Through this annual event, toys and books are collected for children of incarcerated parents and juvenile prisoners. Blankets for the homeless are also collected.
The community came forward with an outpouring of support. The main coordinators of this event were FOG volunteer and NASA employee Manali Brahmbhatt and Commissioner Emeritus of Alameda County Kamal Nair. Over several days, Manali, with her dedicated team of volunteers including Ashwin Panchal, Charu Vaidya and Veena Birla, collected toys, books and blankets from various locations such as schools, companies, hospitals, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, senior centers and stores.
Dr. Romesh Japra, Bay Area cardiologist, Founder and Convener of Festival of Globe (FOG) and the publisher of India Post, gave the introductory speech. He was accompanied on stage by FIA President and Fremont Temple Trustee, Rajesh Verma, Deepak Chhabra (FOG Parade Chair and Temple Trustee) and Fremont Temple Trustee, Manorama Joshi.
He said that more and more people, organizations, cities and counties have been joining this initiative. Acknowledging everyone’s support, he said, “This whole credit goes to lot of volunteers who work unconditionally and come join us year after year.”
He added that FIA (Federation of Indo Americans of Northern California) –
the parent non-profit organization under which FOG operates – had been expanding beyond the limits of Fremont and Alameda County to the whole of Northern California, so that they could do bigger and better events and keep serving the community at different levels.
Further, he said that this was not only empowering socially and culturally but also on the charitable front, on these giving days, it was very important to give pleasure, happiness and peace to the needy who really did not have the same privilege that they did.
Dr. Japra called upon Kamal Nair, Manali Brahmbhatt and all the assembled dignitaries to come up on the stage and say a few words each.
Manali acknowledged everyone who contributed, saying, “We are so fortunate this year that so many people were involved with us and helped us a lot.” She gave a shout out to her fellow volunteer helpers and asked them to join her on the dais.
The Mayor of Fremont Ms. Lily Mei said, “We are so blessed because we have so many things to be thankful for, and to be able to share those with others who are less fortunate, especially during the holiday season, is something that makes it so critical. And it is something that you, as leaders, as well as with all your families and community members, continually, faithfully, year after year, had been a great advocate and representative in sharing that love for the community.”
She added that they were very fortunate to be able to partner with other juvenile services and other public safety entities. On behalf of the Fremont Mayor’s office, she thanked everyone for this opportunity and wished the organizers many years of success.
Deputy Mayor of Fremont Raj Salwan referred to the great blessings that this country (the US) has given all of them and echoed the sentiment of giving back to those less fortunate. He thanked Dr. Japra and the entire team and hoped that the initiative would get bigger and better every year.
Yogi Chugh, spokesperson of FOG/FIA, said, “As members of the community, one of the greatest obligations we have is to give back to the community that has given us so much.”
He made a reference to the 36 years he had been involved with Dr. Japra’s community efforts and how their focus was always on uplifting those that needed help.
About the Toy Drive, Chugh said, “There are so many people out there who are in a situation where it is not ideal. To give that hope and a smile on a person’s face is probably the best gift we can give. For all who came today on a Sunday, let me tell you this, nothing is more gratifying than knowing the gift you have given will touch the life of someone who is the recipient of this.”
A representative, Matthew, from California State Assemblyman Kansen Chu’s office, presented Kamal Nair with a certificate lauding her for her extraordinary work.
Kamal Nair introduced Judge Charles Smiley from the Alameda Superior Court. Judge Smiley said, “These gifts are significant. It is amazing to see how they have grown over the years.” He revealed that many of these gifts would find their way into one of their many courtrooms and added, “It has made our court a lot more friendly place for young people…it has taken some of the scariness out of coming to court away.”
Santa Clara County Sheriff Aalok Patel expressed his thanks saying that no child should be without a toy on Christmas.
Esa Ehmen-Krause, Assistant Chief Probation Officer in the Alameda County Probation Department, lauded the generosity of the community that poured out for the young people, and felt she was honored and privileged to be there every year. She said, “It is definitely with great thanks to Dr. Japra for his leadership and stewardship and our dear friend, Kamal, who took me under her wing and has shown me nothing but compassionate love.”
Speaking of the impact these gifts and goodie bags had on the young people in juvenile hall, she said, “It just makes their day. It is the showing of kindness and compassion that many young people don’t see …unfortunately, in those circumstances in the justice system.”
Ms. Hattie Tate, OUSD/Oakland Unite Coordinator, JJC from the Oakland Unified School District, expressed her gratitude, “On behalf of the Alameda County Board of Education and the 18 school districts that we serve in partnership with the Probation Department, I just want to say it is a blessing to be here among such love, compassion and giving.
“After 7 years of being in partnership with you, each year is just filled with more and more love in my heart. It gives me the strength to go back and share that within our community so we can use the example that you set to continue the work of changing the lives of young people who get into trouble.”
Dr. Japra gave a glowing introduction to Commissioner Arnold Perkins from the Alameda County Juvenile Justice department, who he said had blessed so many people and touched so many lives.
Commissioner Perkins commended the giving initiative.“We are so grateful of the gifts you have given to the community…you’ve given blankets to the homeless…you’ve also given people in Paradise (fire)…you’ve also helped sponsor some young people from my juvenile system going to Africa.”
Jamilah Pierson, assistant to the supervisor in the Probation Department, who is responsible for getting all the collected items to each child and adolescent in the juvenile system, also thanked Dr. Japra and the assembled group, and spoke of the joy that these kids feel when they receive these presents.
Teresa Cox, who is on the Board of Trustees of Ohlone College, talked about how we take certain things for granted such as getting to school safely. About the children in the juvenile system, she said, “Once they are in the court system, they don’t even get food to eat. How do they even get to school, to even write with a pencil or paper? So all of these things are about sharing to celebrate the children…to make them feel very special because it is part of building their self confidence, that somebody out there does care, does love these children.”
She conveyed greetings on behalf of her sorority sisters, Judge Trina Thompson and Judge Rhonda Burgess who were also involved in the juvenile system.
Dr. Japra dedicated the Toy Drive to the late Yogi Mahendra Lohmorh, the yoga teacher who offered free classes at the temple every week for several years and was a proponent of laughter yoga to keep people healthy and happy. His brothers, Ravi and Lalit, were present.
Ravi Lohmorh shared some rare memories from his late brother’s life. Yogi Mehendraji believed that helping and spending time with children was the real form of worship. Just like the Almighty, children did not have any worries and were selfless by nature.
List of donors and beneficiaries for the FOG Toy Drive 2018.
Toy Drive Donors
Indo- American Seniors Association Fremont (INSAF)
Federation of Indian Senior Association (FISA)
Fremont Temple Senior Group
Sureshbhai Patel
Vibrant Pharmacies (Ghanshyam Bhai and Hansaben Patel)
Kaiser Permanente (Shree Tunwal)
PHYchip Corporation, NASA, Dhaval & Manali Brahmbhatt
Arisha Dental Group, Dr. Jolly Shah
Nurture Kids, Dharminder and Shalini Dewan
Early Learning Preschool, Charuben and Chaitanya Vaidya
Keen Learning Center, Madhu and Rajesh Gupta
Challenger School, Mrs. Jyoti Gor
Sangeet Dancing Group, Mrs. Bhavna Joshipura
Mamata and Kumar Swaminarayan group
Amita and Naresh Group
Bharat Bazar, Veena Birla
Century 21 Real Estate Group
Saroj Patel, Mukesh Patel (nVidia Corporation)
Beneficiaries of the Toy Drive:
Alameda County Social Services
Alameda County Youth Incarcerated Families
CASACovenant House/Missy
Santa Clara County Sheriff Projects
Ronald McDonald House in Palo Alto
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