Jain Center Los Angeles CA 2008 09 Pratishta Souvenior

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

Page 16

The Gift of Time Is Priceless
A Tribute To Volunteers
V Valuable is the work you do,
O Outstanding is how you always come through.
L Loyal, sincere and full of good cheer,
U untiring in your efforts throughout the year.
N Notable are the contributions you make,
T Trustworthy in every project you take.
E
Eager to reach your every goal,
E Effective in the way you fulfill your role.
R
Ready with a smile like a shining star,
S Special and wonderful - that's what you are.
- Anonymous
When Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC) needs help
- To roll the puris, a team of ladies and gents lines up in the kitchen.
- To shuttle people from the offsite parking lots, a team of drivers volunteers with their vans.
- To clean the Jain Center, an energetic team of youth is always there to help.
- To teach Pathshala, over 70 qualified teachers and volunteers take on the responsibility.
- To design and build a state-of-the-art Jain Center, Building Committee experts step in. - To finance new construction, members open their wallets to offer interest free loans. - To payoff the permanent debts, members offer generous contributions.
These and many more of such stories have been the hallmark of progress and success for JCSC while pursuing one uncompromising goal - to stay as a single, unified organization while accommodating the needs of all Jains irrespective of age, language and traditions.
And now, to plan and execute the next historical milestone - the Pratishtha Mahotsav to inaugurate the new Derasar (Jinalay) and Aradhana Hall - hundreds of members signed up to ensure the success of this unprecedented holy event. The JCSC Executive Committee and Board of Directors set up a Pratishtha Committee to oversee the preparations for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The responsibility to carry out the detailed tasks was assigned to over twenty sub-committees whose members have invested thousands of hours to make this a most joyous and memorable event. The success of this event is a testament to the devotion, dedication, and generosity of all the volunteers and contributors.
The JCSC Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Pratishtha Committee gratefully acknowledge the contributions of time and financial support of all the volunteers and contributors. We extend our heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who contributed to these efforts. With the blessing of Tirthankar Mahavir Swami and the guidance of our spiritual leaders and scholars, the creation of this Dravya Tirth will further strengthen and unify our community and allow the teachings of the Jain dharma to touch the lives of countless others. This is indeed a Bhav Tirth (Chaturvidh Sangha) of the volunteers.
The grand Jain Tirth of the Jain Center of Southern California will doubtless touch the lives of each and every one of our families through its educational, social, and spiritual fruits. This tirth provides a place for us to celebrate the special moments in our lives, to comfort us in our times of need, to learn from our gurus and one another, and to strengthen our spiritual selves.
We are now blessed with the presence of the Tirthankars, Dev/Devis, Ganthars, Agams and Spiritual Leaders amongst us. And so we, as a community must take upon ourselves one last important task: Let us all resolve to make our grand Jain Center of Southern California DEBT FREE before the end of Year 2008.
Thank You and Jai Jinendra
Executive Committee Board of Directors Pratishtha Committee Jain Center of Southern California