West
Regional Coordinator |
Nisha Shah |
Freemont, CA. |
|
|
West
Regional News
West
Regional Conferences
There will be two regional conferences in the
West Region.
To
learn more information about these two upcoming
conferences in May and June 2005, please click
here.
West
Local Representatives:
Click here
to access the full list of the local representatives
from the West region. If you live in any of the
West cities and want to get involved please contact
either your LR or the West RC, Nisha
Shah. We are looking for motivated youth to
start youth groups across the West! To join the
West Yahoo Groups and be connected to the youth
of the West, e-mail me, so I can add you to the
list.
West
Regional Updates
Seattle
Jain Center
YJA Seattle is planning on participating at the
CRY (Child Relief and You) Mela on March 8th. We
volunteered last year as well, and thus, are very
excited. About CRY, they host a mela every year
where they offer games (carrom, tug of war, videogames
etc.), food (pav bhaji, pani puri), activities for
little children (the tail on the donkey thing, various
fair games where you throw balls into buckets etc.),
competitions (waterpainting for children) and booths
for raffles and things as such. Last year, we helped
out in the food section and the registration. This
time, we will be there at registration, food and
general help for anybody who needs it. Also, we
will be making all the signs for the booths beforehand.
Other than that, Jain classes on fundamentals and
che dhalla were offered to the Jain community, which
YJA participated in. We are also trying to get involved
with PFA (people for animals), an organization based
in India, but with some branches in the US.
Young
Jains of Greater Phoenix
The Young Jains of Greater Phoenix met last month
to have elections and discuss several issues. Our
elected officers are Jainy Savla and Mansi Shah
as Co-presidents, Jinesh Savla as Vice-president,
Harsh Shah as Treasurer, Meera Gosalia as Secretary,
and Shebani Shah as Historian. During this meeting
we discussed having a social event of dinner and
a movie. This event will happen some time in the
next 2 or 3 weeks, we plan on going to a mall and
seeing The Guru. We also discussed have a Who Wants
to Be a Millionaire for all the little kids that
attend Pathshala. For the next meeting, we will
be discussing updating our restaurant guide and
hopefully creating a bound version that can be sold
and kept in a car. We also will be discussing participating
in Relay for Life and helping during Jain Camp.
Northern
California Jain Center
JCNC is having their annual sleepover next weekend
where older Jain youth take care of the younger
children for the night. There will be games, lectures,
yoga and a puja that everyone will do together.
This
will be held the weekend of February 8-9, 2002.
We are also planning to have a debate between parents
and kids, and their different views of Jainism.
This will be in the end of March. Other projects
and activities
which are currently being planned are a culture
show in August and an end of the year mixer.
Los
Angeles Youth
On Sunday, March 27th 2005, The Jain Center of Southern
California was proud to hold the official opening
of its new building, adjacent to the current temple.
Festivities included a brief video of the
history of the temple, a review of the current budget
for all three phases, and various performances by
the children attending the temple. This was followed
by a ribbon cutting ceremony, and lunch in both
buildings. The Jain Center will also be holding
the Mahavir Jayanti Program on Sunday, April 24th.
There will be a childrens' program (with performances
of children
attending Jain Center, as well as group performances
by some of the Patshala, Gujrati, and Culture Classes)
from 2:00 - 4:00, followed by a general body meeting
from 4:00 - 5:00, and finally a Swamivatsalya dinner
from 5:00-6:30. We invite all to attend. Jai Jinendra.
Portland
Jain Center
This
Sunday, Feb. 2nd the Jain center of Oregon and SW
Washington is getting together to have their bi-monthly
meeting. In it they will have pathshala for the
children (ages4 and up) and lectures for the adults.
Vishal Jhaveri, the local representative from Portland,
also volunteered for Veerayatan Veedyapeeth, the
YJA project that took place in Bhuj, India recently.
Vancouver/Calgary Jain Center
There has not been much recent activity, but we
are in the midst of planning possible acvtivties
for the
future. If anyone is interested in helping out or
has any ideas, e-mail neha_99@hotmail.com.
Pictures
from Youth Events Around the Region
Please
submit any pictures you might have from your city's
youth group events.
Feedback
I
am always open to new ideas and love hearing from
people in my region. If you would like to contribute
your thoughts, ideas or let me know what is happening
in your city or school, please write to me at nisha.shah@yja.org.
Always feel free to drop me a e-mail.
