Jain Center Los Angeles CA 1998 07 10th Anniversary of Jain Bhavan

Author(s): Jain Center So CA Los Angeles
Publisher: USA Jain Center Southern California

Page 107

Jain Seniors Association by Shree Rashmibhai Shah
Our Jain community has grown significantly and the Jain Center has undertaken numerous projects to better serve the special needs of our children, teens and young adults. Similar intentions led to the creation of the Jain Seniors Association (JSA) which is now in its third year.
The membership has grown to 65 individuals and families, all of whom pay nominal dues to be part of this organization. There is an executive committee which in consultation with its members, decides upon the programs for the group and arranges six to eight events a year. Programs address not only the religious but also social needs of this specific group.
The organization provides members with an opportunity to spend time together and share with each other their unique experiences of past and present. The events are well advertised and coordinated. The full participation of most members reflects upon the dedication and good heartedness of our committee members and volunteers who contribute time, money, and energy to make every event a memorable one.
Chaitya-Paripati, Diwali, Rangoli competition, picnics, and sight seeing tours are just a few of the events that have been arranged in the past. Our bus journeys are always sold out in advance. Chaitya-Paripati has become so popular that we are not able to accept all the invitations that are extended to us.
JSA members would like to thank all those Jain families who not only invited us to their homes and made elaborate arrangements at their own expense to entertain everybody, but also made generous donations to our Jain Center.
Quite a few of our seniors have no social outings with their peers and are nondrivers. Thus they depend upon other organizations like JSA, SAHARA, AISA etc. to see and visit new places. More events such as those mentioned above need to be arranged to give them relief from their dull and dependent routine lives. We are also looking into the possibility of availing a vehicle to provide transportation to those elders who are unable to participate in various activities sponsored by our Jain Center. If you wish to make a donation towards this, please let us know and together, we can go much farther to serve our seniors. One thing that we cherish most is our Indian cultural heritage, and this has taught us to give our utmost love and respect to our elders.
When I have a bad dream, I always count Navkar Mantra which gives me security. - Chandani Shah (9)