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Desi News Corp - Desi News - April 2009 - Index

NARI MAVALWALLA/DESI NEWS
As a member of the GGSCF herself, Amrit has participated
in every single run and CN Tower Stair Climb to raise
funds for charitable causes; she has helped organize camps
at the gurdwara and day trips for seniors.
“We take all the seniors to Niagara Falls and to see the
floral clock. There’s a picnic lunch and seniors read their
poems, the kids perform skits...it’s a very rewarding and
fun experience.
“Young people can be very creative,” says the 20-yearold
sagely. “Youth groups at GGSCF have done skits to highlight
issues such as the cultural differences between kids
to make parents understand what children go through.”
The biggest event being planned for 2009 is the Run
Across Canada.
Kids who want to participate in it have already formed
teams and begun training to get in shape for the run that
will take place from July 1 to August 31, starting in Newfoundland
and ending in British Columbia. Funds raised
support children’s hospitals enroute and sponsor kids
around the world.
There’s no formal registration of members and everyone
is welcome to attend. Members range in age from six
or seven to 18 and some parents attend as well. Some come
to every meeting and others, when they can.
With less than 50 core members, the GGSCF is not a large
group, as Amrit says. The group’s impact, however, is huge
and wide-ranging.
Amrit, who is studying Business Administration at
Guelph Humber and wants to go into international business,
says she sees herself still being involved with the
Foundation years down the road.
“I see it as helping me apply and live Guru Gobind
Singh’s teachings in my everyday life.
“Guru Gobind Singhji taught us to be a part of society
but to stand out by virtue of our actions and our commitment
to good causes. To lead by example. And I see all
the young people involved with the GGCF making that extra
effort. They show compassion, they show humanity,
they are all going to be great leaders one day.
“As for me, being involved with GGSCF helps me stay
grounded; it defines who I am.”
Sundeep Sandhu, 19, a student of kinesiology at the
University of Waterloo, has been involved with the
Guru Gobind Singh Children’s Foundation since he
was around 10 years old.
“My mamaji, Surjit Hayre, was very keen that I join.
When he heard that a branch was opening up in Brampton/
Mississauga, he took me along to a meeting to see what I
thought of the idea. It was a perfect fit.”
Sundeep, known as Sunny to all his friends, says he enjoyed
the first meeting so much, he’s been passionate about
the organization’s cause and activities ever since.
He’s helped organize or been associated with every event
the branch has held since its inception.
The annual Guru Nanak Food Drive, held to mark the
Guru’s birthday, collects non-perishable food for the Daily
Bread Food Bank.
The target the youth members of the organization set
themselves is 10,000 pounds of food and each year, they’ve
April 2009 Desi News 11