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Sikhs plan massive blood donation camps across US
WSN Network
 FREMONT:
Various Sikh organizations across the United States will work
together to hold the "First National Sikh Blood Drive" to help
overcome the blood shortage faced by the nation. In order to
achieve their goal they have joined hands with various blood
collection agencies including American Red Cross and Blood Centers
of America.
Dedicated to the memory of the martyrs of Operation Bluestar, the
Indian Army's attack on Sri Darbar Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib,
these national level blood donation camps are also being held in
Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and other countries.
A large of Gurdwaras in the United States will be participating in
these camps. Blood drives will be held at several locations in
various states including California, Texas, New Jersey, New York,
Kansas, Michigan and Indiana. Participants include Gurdwara Fremont,
Gurdwara Stockton, Gurdwara New York, Gurdwara in Dallas, Texas,
Glen Rock New Jersey, Modesto California etc.
"This is a great example of the Sikh spirit of serving others in
time of need", said Jasjeet Singh, a prominent Sikh in the Fremont
Sikh community. "Sikhs have always thought of themselves as an
integral part of America and have eagerly stepped forward whenever
the nation has needed them to do so", he emphasized.
 "We
have held several blood drives at individual locations before too",
said Harjot Singh Khalsa, President of Gurdwara Fremont, CA.
"However, we decided to make it a coordinated nationwide effort this
year, after receiving calls from various blood agencies about the
shortfall in blood donation,” he said.
The nationwide blood drive will be held in the month of June across
the nation. Most drives will be held on June 21st, when Sikhs will
be celebrating one of their main religious occasions. "Sikhs will be
donating their blood to honor Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who was tortured
and killed after refusing to convert to Islam in 1606", said
Harsimran Singh, leader of Sikh Youth of America, from Central
Valley, California. "Along with honoring Guru Arjan Dev Ji, we will
also be remembering those who died in the struggle for a free Sikh
homeland", added Sandeep Singh of Modesto. Central Valley Sikhs have
scheduled two blood drives, in Stockton, CA and Modesto, CA and are
hoping to add two more in July at Sacramento, CA and Livingston, CA.
They have to stagger the dates due to the busy schedule of the
collection agencies.
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Sangat can contact at Fremont (Jot
Preet Singh Sahi 510-872-5987, jpsahi@yahoo.com), Dallas, Texas
(Sumeet Kaur 972-971-9831), Stockton (Harsimran Singh
209-735-0240), Modesto (Sandeep Singh 209-632-1975), Glen Rock (Gurbakhsh
Kaur 201-290-2644), and Queens Village (Amarpreet Kaur
718-805-6827). |
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Satnam Singh Khalsa, Secretary of the Fremont Gurdwara, explained
that various members of the Sikh faith donate blood every year in
honor of their Guru. However, this year they decided to make it a
nationwide event, to raise the awareness among Sikhs about the need
of blood donation and also to motivate them to donate more often. He
also mentioned that by going nationwide we want to raise awareness
among other Americans about Sikhs and introduce them to our spirit
of giving to serve others.
Sikh Youth of America, a non-profit organization that works with
young Sikhs to help them develop leadership skills is al ready
working on the second phase of the drive which is to take place in
November this year. Main event of second phase is planned to be held
in Yuba City, California where thousands of Sikhs from all western
states gather for Annual Sikh Parade. "We want to hold the biggest
ever California blood drive that day", said Nirpal Singh, President
of Sikh Youth of America for Bay Area.
Sikhs have been living in the United States for over a century now
and have contributed greatly to American prosperity. Sikhs
have served in both world wars and more recently in Iraq and
Afghanistan as part of the U.S. armed forces. However, Sikhs have
often been targets of racial abuse and violence in the post 9/11
era, due to their unshorn hair and turbans.
10
June 2009 |
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