Ketan Maharaj of Jalaram Mandir
CHICAGO: A mini fund raiser held by Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS) at its Naperville location on June 8 turned out to be a successful event with close to 300 plus invitees and guests attending it enabling this no profit body to raise funds to meet its on going expenses.
The program started with lamp lightning ceremony and invocation prayer by Ketan Maharaj of Jalaram Mandir followed by Bhajan by Shaila Khedkar.
Masters of Ceremony Shree Gurusamy and Neelam Desai opened the evening. Gurursamy introduced the Founder and Executive Director Mrs. Kumar who delivered her message detailing impediments and hardships that the organization is encountering due to reduction in the State funding. She urged the community to support generously MAFS’s mission and urged everyone to work collectively to take this organization’s goal to the next level.
Appreciation awards were given to invited guests including Michelle Mussman, State Rep, Tom Cullerton , Illinois St Senator , Frank Avila Sr., Commissioner of Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation, Mayor A. George Pradel, Naperville Mayor, and Dariene J. Senger, State Rep.
St. Senator Cullerton praised MAFS staff for its excellent community service in spite of budget constraints due to delay in state payment. St Rep. Senger appreciated the services rendered by MAFS to the community. She spoke how they worked as a team in passing supplemental bill, HB207 for the Community Care Program. Ms. Senger is a strong supporter of the Asian American community. St Rep Mussman another strong supporter of Asian American Community appreciated efforts taken by MAFS in serving community. Pradel commended services provided by MAFS to the community. Marta Pereyra, Executive Director, Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly, congratulated MAFS team for serving community.
Ruth and Anjali Varghese of Kalapadma Academy mesmerized everyone with their Indian classical dance performance on Draupadi Cheer Haran (Legend from ancient epic). Another fascinating performance was Fashion Show by the seniors. They scorched the fashion barometer with their sizzling costumes and it was well appreciated by all.
A short play ‘Aakhir Kyu?’ directed by Pankaj Patel, MAFS Adult Day Care Program Director, left many attending the event with moist eyes. The emotional story or modern saga of repression, frustration and parents’ longing for their children’s love was well presented by MAFS Chicago staff. After dinner Ms Khedkar, Shahzad Ahmed, Ms Shika Tandon, Mahijit S. Virdi, and Ms Iffat Ara entertained the guests with songs and melodies that lasted into the wee hours of the night. Vote of thanks was presented by Rakesh Asthana,
MAFS is a not for profit organization established with a mission to provide comprehensive and integrated services to the immigrant population of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lankan and East European communities facing linguistic and cultural barriers. The organization was established in 1992 by Mrs Santosh Kumar as a proactive response to address the growing needs of the immigrant population facing linguistic and cultural barriers in a highly advanced country like USA.
Naznin Begum
