SURESH BODIWALA / RAJINDER SINGH
CHICAGO: Sikh Religious Society (SRS), Palatine, a suburb of Chicago, was presented with the “Life Time Service Award” July 14 while Sarwan Singh Raju was also honored with “Making the Difference Award” by the Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army International is a major Christian missionary organization serving worldwide for more than 150 years in more than 130 countries, working towards social justice, helping the elderly, homeless young people and more.
Sarwan Singh has been mobilizing the Sikh community of greater Chicago area for over two decades to participate in events organized by Salvation Army for feeding the poor on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day celebrations.
Major Nancy Powers of The Salvation Army, Chicago, visited the SRS Gurdwara in Palatine July 14, and presented plaques of honor to SRS and to Sarwan Singh for coordinating the Sikh community in donating and serving food to the needy families on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day celebration events at Salvation Army in Chicago since 1992.
Sarwan Singh and Hardial Singh Deol have spearheaded these activities continuing the tradition of “Langar” started by Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith.
The gurdwara in Palatine is the first ever Sikh organization in the US Midwest to receive a “Lifetime Service Award” from a non-Sikh worldwide organization like Salvation Army.
SRS president Dr Pardeep Singh Gill and trustees Prempal Singh, Gurmit Singh Bains, Irwinpreet Singh, Amardev Singh Badesha, Jairam Singh Kahlon, Dr Balwant Singh Hansra and Gurdip Singh Sangha, received the plaque from Major Nancy Powers of Salvation Army, Chicago.
Guru Nanak demonstrated the basic service principles of Sikh religion in his own life, while he did agricultural farming with his own hands at Kartarpur
The community members who regularly supported the eventsin Chicago among others included Sarwan Singh, Hardial Singh Deol, Iqbal Singh Chopra and his wife, Lal Singh, Geeta Singh and many more.
Amardeep Singh Chawla and his wife Timki Kaur, and family have been contributing vans full of canned food and distributing food to visitors at Salvation Army during these events.
