‘’The art of communication is the language of leadership ’’- John Maxwell On Feb 26, 2023, 50 youths attended our online workshop and learned amazing tips and tricks from the expert Toastmaster and the founder of Speaking Masters LLC., Mr. Raju Brahmandhabheri . It was a great experience with an interactive session. Public speaking techniques were shared with the youths. Youths were preparing their speeches with the techniques they learned in the workshop and presented their prepared speeches in the in person session on March 5, 2023 at Novi Public Library. Mr. Raju Brahmandhabheri is supporting VT Seva Public Speaking Workshop for 3rd time in a row. One student got inspired by VT Seva causes and the speeches from other students, wanted to showcase her skills and help VT Seva cause, so she signed up for the workshop right there itself. Mr. Srinath Karnati welcomed everyone, Public Speaking Committee member Ms. Architha Kramadhati introduced Mr. Raju. Priya Jaisankar introduced Mr. Cliff and went through the guidelines about the speech presentation. Harish Jaisankar , VT Seva Detroit Youth Board volunteer Emceed the whole event in a nice engaged way. VT Seva volunteers Mr. Jaisankar Kannan, Ms.Aarthi Karthik, Mr. Venkat Pisipati Oviya Jaisankar, Amogh Pisipati, helped in various areas like checkin, time keeping and media. Two wonderful judges Mr. Raju Brahmandhabheri and Mr . Cliff Suttle gave tips and feedback to all the students who presented their speeches Raju Brahmandhabheri is passionate about public speaking and communication skills and has been part of Toastmasters International (the platform to improve Public speaking and leadership skills) since last 9 plus years and achieved the DTM(Distinguished Toastmasters) award- the highest educational award in the Toastmasters program. To pursue his passion of teaching public speaking and communication skills to the kids, he founded Speaking Masters LLC , a public speaking and communication skills coaching institute and has been teaching these skills Mr. Suttle is the founder and president of ExciteYourAudience.com a company dedicated to world class business/audience communications. He is the author for three books "The Meeting Mastery System," "The Anti-Elevator Speech," and the fantasy novel "Necro." A popular freelance writer, Mr. Suttle has written numerous articles for print and multi-media publications and has been read internationally by millions and translated into more than 20 languages. He owns multiple business for over 25 years and has consulted for many Fortune 500 companies including, General Motors, Ford Motor, IBM, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Kodak, Xerox, Rockwell International, Commerica, Metlife, and more. Mr. Suttle has received over 100 awards for speaking and is a popular speech writer and lecturer on topics ranging from technical to motivational and earned his B.S. in Management Information Sciences from the University of Michigan and is a certified Peak Performance Consultant. At the end our continuous supporter and sponsor for Public Speaking Workshop Mr. Chandrasekar handed over plaques to Mr. Brahmandhabheri and Mr. Cliff. Thanks to Mr. Raju for continuous support. Overall it was a great session all the students and parents liked the session and appreciated all the efforts. Mr. Sudheer Koppu gave a thank you speech. Blog Written By: Priya Jaisankar Blog Published By : Nandini Cheemalamarri

VT Seva Dallas youth volunteers spent their Spring break time volunteering at Feed my Starving Children, where they helped pack an assortment of nutritious meals that will be shipped to various countries in Africa and South America to eradicate hunger and improve quality and life. We would also like to give a shoutout to Sahasra Produtor, as pictured in the purple and black outfit, for putting in effort to draw the VT Seva logo from scratch so that our volunteers could proudly pose with it at the end of their shift.

On Friday, February 24th VTSeva Dallas youth volunteers visited the Scottish Rite hospital for Children to drop off a large collection of toys for the kids. The toys were collected as part of the Toy Drive the Youth Board conducted from late December to early January, in which many youth volunteers donated toys. These toys will be given to the patients at the hospital to brighten their day and make them feel special. They are an important tool in providing comfort for the children. The board games that were donated will be staying at the hospital so that many kids can use them and play together! The hospital staff was extremely appreciative of our volunteers’ efforts and were shocked by how many toys we collected! These toys will go to great use, and VTSeva Dallas will continue to hold further events like this to help out the community! If you would like to donate to Scottish Rite Hospital you can visit their website here: https://scottishriteforchildren.org/get-involved

Lets Play to Support Visually Challenged Students !!

TARANGINI

My Family Across the World By Uma Avasarala Summer of 2022 by Uma Avasarala is a VTSeva Bay Area volunteer. She reflects on her life-changing Summer Internship interactions with the students of Netra Vidyalaya and the tribal school children of Allampalli. What is family? When we think of the word “family,” we often immediately think about our parents, siblings, grandparents, and cousins. If you ask me now, “Uma, who’s your family?” In addition to my immediate family, I would say I have a family across the world. Over these two weeks, I have discovered that family is where there is inexplicable joy, unconditional love, and overwhelming gratitude and humility. The children of the small forest village Allampalli and the students at Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji’s Netra Vidyalaya have worked their way into my heart and become my family. Originally, we had planned to stay in Allampalli for the majority of our internship, but apparently, nature had other plans. Due to heavy rains and flooding, we were only able to stay for two days. Now, how in the world can you find a family in two days? But, that was so. The children and students of Allampalli made it so. We taught them math, english, science, and much more. And, they listened so eagerly, with huge eyes and racing minds. After school, we had some extracurricular activities, such as dance, rocket launching, self-defense, and more. Their curiosity and persistence touched our hearts in ways that cannot be described in words. They would run up and cut each other off saying, “Akka (sister), watch me! Anna (brother), is this right?” Later in the day, we played games, like kabaddi and koko. I don’t think I have ever laughed or played so hard in my life! My heart was full. Nearing the end of the day, we visited the tandaas or the village where many of the children lived with their families. The moment we got off the bus, little hands grabbed my kurti (a traditional Indian dress) and my fingers. They all wanted to show us their houses and their animals. It was there that I had realized that I had a small family in Allampalli. I was one of theirs and they were all mine. Before we left Allampalli, the students hosted a performance with dance, music, acrobatics, and self-defense. They dazzled us all with their amazing talents. Dance transcends all barriers. Please check out this video, which shows the true joy of rhythm: When my partner and I were teaching, the kids asked me to sing a song. I had a better idea. I suggested that we sing India’s National Anthem, “Jana Gana Mana.” As the song reached its crescendo, patriotism filled the air. I was overwhelmed with an immense sense of pride and love for my Indian heritage and these beautiful, innocent souls. The rest of our stay provided me with another unique experience. I met with and became friends with the amazing students of Netra Vidyalaya, the school for the visually challenged. They face everyday challenges from their inability to see with grit and cheer. What I thought to be difficulties in my life thus far, now seemed trivial. I also found a family with my fellow interns. We bonded and became so close in just 12 days. I cannot thank them enough for all the laughter, memories, and love. These experiences are sure to last a lifetime. Thank you so much to VTSEVA for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I have come back rejuvenated and a better person.

Welcome to VT Seva Houston’s Walking With the Beat 5K Walkathon ! Every day that you are up and active is a day that you are working towards better heart health and prevention of cardiovascular disease! We are so happy to have you join us ! 7 years and below are free to attend !!! Walking with the Beat 5K Walkathon The Walking with the Beat 5K Walkathon is on Saturday, April 1 from 8 am to 10 am at Sugar Land Memorial Park . Enjoy the camaraderie of fellow community members who are committed to their health in the serene setting of nature and the outdoors. After the 5K walkathon, you will hear more about cardiovascular health and prevention from health professionals. All proceeds from the Walkathon will go to the American Heart Association, fighting heart disease and stroke and helping families and communities thrive for nearly 100 years.

VT Seva Dallas conducted two Adopt-A-Street activities this Saturday at Lewisville and Irving, with great participation from youth and adult volunteers. We would like to first and foremost thank Ashwin and Parth for leading the Lewisville cleanup today. We would also like to thank Srija, our Iriving youth lead, for being able to motivate her peers at Coppell High School to join in and help keep the streets clean. These initiatives will be held on a monthly basis, so keep an eye out for updates posted on the webpage and on Instagram if you would like to participate in an upcoming one.

VT Seva Detroit successfully celebrated the 7th Annual Cultural Event RAAS-2022 on November 19th, 2022, as a never-before event. RAAS is our Annual Celebration event, culminating a great year of various fundraising activities and volunteering service to the community. Some of the key highlights of the event: Raised funds for 257 Visually Challenged and Tribal students’ education 450+ people attended Sumptuous Dinner with Mesmerizing Entertainment Special Thanks to all the Donors, Volunteers, Participants, Sponsors, Choreographers , and everyone for bringing a big success to VTSEVA Detroit and keeping VTSEVA Detroit Top in the service. A memorable evening with marvelous Entertainment & Sumptuous Dinner. VT Seva Detroit board acknowledged the year-long hard work of our dedicated volunteers and kind donors with an evening of music, dance, skits, food, fun, and celebration. Emcee Jyotsna Kankatala raised the curtain at 5:15 p.m., and the event started on time with Jyothi Prajwalana followed by USA & India National Anthem with JET & Prajna students' Prayers. Thanks Jyotsna and Shivani, and Prajna students. An awesome Veena performance followed it. Thank you, Prashantha Veenananda team! JET Michigan Coordinator Narasaraj Kompally delivered a speech about Jeeyar Education Trust and how these Nethra Students benefit from JET & VTSEVA. Thanks Narasaraj Garu. Director of VTSEVA Detroit Srinath Karnati talked about the Donors and Volunteers. He explained how significant an impact both volunteers and Donors were creating and thanked them for keeping VT SEVA Detroit in the #1 position in doing community Service Projects and the Top#4 position in the USA in supporting the Visually challenged & Underprivileged students' education. National Secretary and past Branch Director Sudheer Koppu addressed the audience and conveyed thanks to them. National Youth Director and Detroit Volunteer Coordinator Vanitha Gopalan Talked about all the community service projects conducted in 2022 and thanked all the donors. Please review the short video below on the key accomplishments. In 2022, apart from Detroit Youthboard activities, the Detroit branch conducted 32 community services events & 8 fundraising events - Over 27,545 lbs. of food packed in Food Banks Volunteering - Over 2000 meals served at the Community Kitchen Volunteering - Raised $800 & around 6 big boxes of hygiene items for Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, a homeless shelter - Large-scale cleanup and removal of invasive plant species during Eco Restoration Projects - Over 160 Young Women and children received ~2000 hygiene supplies - ~5200 mailing supplies packed in support of fundraising activities for Visually Challenged Children Centers - Over 350 boxes of nutritious, culturally sensitive food items distributed - 833 Fleece blankets made and distributed Secretary and Youth board director of VT SEVA Detroit Priya Jaisankar presented beautiful slides for the entire event and talked about Youth board Projects (especially outreach) and also spoke about the VT SEVA High school Clubs and thanked all the Youth volunteers and both High School Club teams. In 2022, VT Seva Detroit Youth Board did an excellent job serving the community and environment by participating in many volunteering events and raising money to support 42+ students' education through various summer camps and fundraising projects. They celebrated 3rd anniversary and had a party for the senior sendoff. They established 2 High School Clubs also. A recap of their achievements in 2022 are - 35 Youth Board Initiated Events led by youths - 6 Summer Camps led by youths - 2 Fundraising projects initiated and led by youths - 2 Fun events - 2 High School Clubs - 750+ youth volunteer hours in youth-initiated projects - 100+ parent volunteer hours - Raised $3500 to support families impacted by cancer - Raised more than $15,500 to support Nethra Vidyalaya student's education through Outreach Project - Many students acquired leadership skills and felt confident Anvika Perumalla, President of Troy IAE School VTS Club, talked about two high school clubs (Troy IAE & Troy High) activities and thanked VTSeva for setting up clubs at high schools. Thanks, Anvika and Troy VTSeva Club teams. Youth Volunteer Anurag shared his India Internship experience with the audience. Thanks Anurag. Core Volunteers thanked all the donors for their generous donations to VTSEVA for visually challenged and Under Privileged students’ education. Rocking Dance performances: We had a gala of professional teams and local talent that rocked the stage from classical to Bollywood. Thanks for the Goose Bump performances by Smrithi Dance Team Tripura Dance Team Vandana Krishna swami Dance Team Usha Dance Team Veena Madhukar Dance Team Arpita Dance Team Swati Dance Team Avantika Dance Team Bighearted local restaurants sponsored delicious food. Our dedicated volunteers served hot food for the RAAS attendees. Branch Director Srinath Karnati announced the PVSA winners of 2021 and awarded Medals and trophies from the hands of Sudheer Koppu, Vanitha Gopalan, Suresh Rajan, Priya Jaisankar, JaiSankar Kannan, Srinath Karnati, Jyothi Karnati, Nandini Cheemalamarri, and Sreenivas Cheemalamarri. Congratulations to all PVSA winners. Gold: Oviya Jai Sankar, Saisha Srivatsan, Hiba Zyna Bronze: Harish Jaisankar, Abhinav Suresh, Nikhil Aerabati, Siddharth Tirumala Kanduri, Sai Sahasra Namuduri, Shreya Srivatsan, Rashmitha Raghunathan Thanks for the Melodious Singing Performances by Kalyani Ji Team and local talents. Madhavan ji handover the Plaques to Hrudwani Team. Latha ji handed over the plaques to the Sponsors. On this Wonderful day, Shreya Srivatsan did a fantastic artwork. She sold her artwork to Kind art lovers and donated the amount to VTSEVA for the great cause of Visually Challenged and Under Privileged students’ education. Thank you, Shreya. Last but not least, a huge shout and Thanks to Hrudwani Team for the Live Band Performance on RAAS Stage. Live started at 10:00 and continued up to 11:45 p.m. Melodious voice and an excellent keyboard, Flute, and other Instrument players. VTSeva Detroit Thanks all the Sponsors and Volunteers for their services. Delicious Food by local Restaurants. Thanks to Zaharaji for coordinating the food from various restaurants. It would not have been possible to conduct such a successful event without such a large group of our AMAZING, DEDICATED, and ENTHUSIASTIC volunteers: All these volunteers (adult and youth) did a terrific job in all these areas: AREAS ADULT YOUTH Program Coordination Swapna Kalva Sreenika Perumalla Emcee Jyothsna Kankatala ​ Registration Desk Latha Nimmagadda, Anand Renganathan, Jaishankar Kannan Veeksha Somula, Shivani, Siva Suravarpu Event Fundraising & Marketing Srinath Karnati, Sudheer Koppu, Anand Renganathan ​ Volunteering & Food Coordination Vanitha Gopalan ​ Sound System Srinivas Raju and Lucky ​ Presentation Tech Priya Jaishankar, Srikanth Ramanadham Harish Jaishankar Donations Forms Jaisankar Kannan Anvika Perumalla Arsheya Bhattad Photography Anoop Macharla ​ Set up Vanitha Gopalan, Durga Sangita, Veena Hebbar, Ramya Srikanth, Suresh Rajan, Raghunath Namuduri, Akshay Pedamallu, Prathyusha Vurum Alex Kola, Abhinav Pagidi, Sakib Hussain, Aakash Singh, Sai Sahasra Namuduri, Sai Chakrika Yadali, Ashish Rajam, Saanvi Mandapati, Akshay Kumar, Haji Muhinthan, Varshan Muhinthan, Yug Patel, Rishi Adduri, Nikhil Aerabati, Sriraam Hebbar, Supraja Pattangi Food Department ​Aravind Narayanan, Architha Kramadati, Asha Puranam, Chandra Sekhar Annavarapu, Durga Sangita, Jyothi Karnati, Keerthi Dingari, Komathy Muhinthan, Nandini Cheemalamarri, Pavani Namuduri, Priya Jaisankar, Raghunath Namuduri, Sreenivas Cheemalamarri, Srikanth Ramanadham, Srinath Karnati, Srivardhan Dingari, Sudhakar Kolluri, Sudhakar Raghunathan, Suresh Rajan, Vanitha Gopalan, Venkat Pisipati, Vidhya Anand, Vijay Perumalla ​Aditi Jethri, Haji Muhinthan, Ishaan Sid, Kalki Reghunathan, Kavya Karnati, Lalitaditya Akkaraju, Nikhil Aerabati, Purani Murukathas, Rishi Adduri, Rishi Chowdhury, Saanvi Mandapati, Sai Karnati, Sai Chakrika Yadali, Siva Suravarapu, Supraja Pattangi, Varshan Muhintan, Veena Karthik, Veeksha Somula, Veena Karthik, Social Media Updates Nandini Cheemalamarri ​ This was one of the best events we ever had. Thanks to all Event Sponsors, Donors, Supporters, and Volunteers who helped to make this event a big success. Thanks to all the unsung supporters for this great cause. It would not have been possible to pull off such a HUGE event without your constant support and help. For more pictures, please visit our Facebook Album https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.547106200786222&type=3 To watch the complete RAAS event, Please click here https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?extid=NS-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C&ref=watch_permalink&v=471252998220701 To Like, Share and Comment, Please visit our Facebook Post https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0oZrap5fDDYNyJhJbusY8ToDPLMmWAG21ErYN9qAQug28YnP17BH4yk3sYLxsFT86l For other events and activities from Detroit, Please visit http://vtsworld.org/detroit RAAS 2022 Flier Blog created and published by Nandini Cheemalamarri (Detroit Communications) THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL! YOUR SUPPORT IS OUR STRENGTH TO SERVE

This Sunday our VT Seva Dallas youth and adult volunteers were back in action in Flowermound, helping clean the streets! It was truly inspiring to see everyone give up their Sunday morning to show up and help our community stand out more. This street cleanup is a small part of the Adopt a Street initiative, which takes place every month. If you would like to attend one of these events, please make to follow our Facebook handle, and keep an eye out on the webpage for future announcements!!

"Communication is the human connection, which is the key to personal and career success.” – Paul J Meyer Public speaking has taken a center stage in today’s education and career. All of us know the importance that communication plays in our daily lives. VT Seva has been providing an opportunity to our youth get introduced to public speaking and advance their skills since last 5 years. VT Seva is bringing another great opportunity this year as well! VT Seva is proud to announce 6th Public Speaking Workshop . One day virtual work workshop will be organized on Feb 26th and in person public speaking presentation ( not a competition ) will be held on March 5th in Novi Public Library . During the online workshop on Feb 26th , the youth will be exposed to different aspects of public speaking like tone, vocal variety, how to avoid fillers and many more by none other than one of the experts in public speaking, Mr. Raju Brahmandhabheri. This is a great opportunity for the youth to learn and refresh the nitty gritty of public speaking. The youth will also be provided an opportunity to practice what they learnt on March 5th during the public speaking in person presentation ( not a competition ). Raju Brahmandhabheri is passionate about public speaking and communication skills and has been part of Toastmasters International (the platform to improve Public speaking and leadership skills) since last 9 plus years and achieved the DTM(Distinguished Toastmasters) award- the highest educational award in the Toastmasters program. To pursue his passion of teaching public speaking and communication skills to the kids, he founded Speaking Masters LLC, a public speaking and communication skills coaching institute and has been teaching these skills for the kids in the grades: 3-12 from the past four years. He has been receiving 5-star ratings from both students and parents for his public speaking classes. He is a mentor for the high school students to coach/advise/prepare them for the annual Leadership Speech Contest hosted by National Management Association (NMA). He has also served as a judge on various speech contests at Toastmasters and community organization’s educational competitions (public speaking, spelling bee etc.). By profession, he is an Electrical Engineer currently working as a Senior Regional Engineering Manager at ITC Holdings Corp., Novi, Michigan. Please prepare your speech to fit between 120 - 150 seconds in one of the below topics to present on March 5th in Novi Library . Who is your favorite super hero character and why? What makes you happy and why? What does volunteering mean to you? All the proceeds from this event goes to support Visually Challenged & Tribal Students education in India. What a great way to support others while become competent in the essential life skill Public Speaking! Don't miss the opportunity to learn from the best by registering ASAP!

Before reaching Allampalli, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this internship. We were told the basics, looked through the outline of the curriculum, packed our clothes, and loaded the bus. The moment we arrived, the interns were greeted by students in the middle of the night, ready to help carry our bags and get settled. On the first day we were put on a pedestal, and the kids were told "these interns are from America and are here to help you learn new things." But the reality was, I didn’t even know what to expect and I hoped that I knew what I was talking about. The next week or so, me and the interns were given the opportunity to meld ourselves into the community and everybody was unhesitant welcoming. I realized we were there for a greater purpose than just teaching and helping with academics, were there to become their friends, and occasionally play some interns vs Allampalli games. As the days went on, our connection with the students and fellow interns only grew stronger and more personal. I was teaching the 2nd grade class, and that day later in the evening, we would be visiting their villages farther away from the school. As we got to the thandas, I would see kids I recognized from class in the morning and it was surreal to see the looks on their faces when we recognized each other. One of the students I taught walked with me throughout the whole night, never letting go of my hand once. In this moment, I realized that appreciating the smallest gestures and things in life, are what can bring us true happiness. True happiness and contentment cannot be replaced by money or material possessions. After that day, the bugs in our rooms and the heat didn't matter as much as they did on the first day, and the Allampalli chai was the first thing we looked forward to in the mornings. Back in America, we would fundraise, telling people “the money goes towards tribal kids in India, but I realized that isn't the only way to categorize the students in Allampalli. The perspective I was given about the kids had completely shifted already. As time passed we realized that we all already had one thing in common, we are all human. The students were equally as capable of teaching us, and to be honest, I learned more for them than I could possibly teach any of the kids. Watching the kids learn with more ambition than I have ever seen before was vitalizing. Reflecting back on my experience, I realized how we are all capable of the same things and it all depends on how you view your life, and what you decide to do with the adversity you face. The money we fundraise every year really does go towards an important cause, and this internship showed me exactly what service and volunteering for a greater cause really means. The kids in Allampalli did not sulk about their lives, and only faced difficulties with the mindset that anything can be accomplished with hard work and determination. Our internship to Allampalli in 2022 was something that despite the efforts, cannot be truly described in words or pictures alone. One of the most rewarding aspects was the new perspective I was given the opportunity to experience and the people I got to meet. By Nigama Reddy Dallas Youth Volunteer Reflection from Summer Internship 2022

VT Seva Dallas recently concluded its 2nd annual Halloween Candy Drive for US troops where we collected over 1600 lbs of candy, an increase of 60% from last year. We had quite a number of youth and adult volunteers participate, with our youngest being 2 years old. We were able to successfully raise almost $400 from the candy buyback, which will be used for tribal school children. In addition, the collected candy was donated to US army troops and the Metrocrest Food Bank. Here are a couple of our volunteers’ experiences with the event: “We donated around 2 ½ buckets of candy and received $12 from Melissa Rozas D.D.S & Associates located in Coppell.” - Sai Karthik Battula “This event made me realize the privileged upbringing that I’m blessed with and has taught me that the joy of giving is so much more fulfilling. Moreover, it has inspired me to take time out of my busy schedule to do something for others.” - Raam Raodeo “It was my pleasure to participate in the candy drive again!! I was really happy about all we did.” - Sahasra “It was a beautiful experience to collect candies for the Halloween Candy Drive. So many kids wanted to go to more houses so that they could contribute more towards the drive. Not only did they donate candies from their candy stack, but also gave their favorite candies.” - Devayani Nagabhushan

Video Presentation of the Volunteering Activities 1) Gleaners Mercado Food hub: May 7th, 2022 Mercado Food Hub is an organization that distributes packaged foods to underprivileged people in the metro Detroit area. The volunteers packed the produce in the boxes, packed the cold food items in boxes, arranged and assorted all boxes on carts as per request of the supervisor, Rearranged shelves items, stacked items, loaded the clients’ cards, restocked cold food items and finally cleaned the whole area. Youth Volunteers : Sanjeev Nethaji, Harini Senthil Kumar, Saisha Srivatsan, Nikhil Srinivasan, Sanjith Sambath Adult Volunteers : Nethaji Anamuthu, Sharmiladevi Balendran, Meera Srinivasan. Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0bPHWe5T9F5rLg7uqSu2kduLTrT6dRh2FFqPo4T1niygWbci2hFc9UphYJcC35kuLl 2) Novi Police Appreciation lunch & Police Tour: May 8th, 2022 As National Police Week falls in the month of May, VT Seva Detroit hosted an Appreciation lunch for Novi Police Dept and got an opportunity to tour the Novi Police Station and extend our sincere gratitude to all police officers. 𝗪𝗲 𝗩𝗧 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗩𝗧 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗶 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. Youth Volunteers : Varsha Karthik, Veena Karthik, Haji Muhinthan, Varshan Muhinthan, Aditya Prayagi, Adhip Pisipati, Ved Patel, Saanvi Moorthy, Kalki R Adult Volunteers: Sudhakar Kolluri, Sudheer Koppu, Srinathbabu Karnati, Anand Reghunathan, Jai Shankar, Priya Jaishankar, Architha Kramadhati, Bhavna Patel, Aarthi Karthik, Priya Prayagai, Komathy Muhinthan, Vidya Rajendran Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02bkFcfmTi4USNn6jdBhpHZuUJVkzQMfTzNaKupANdxhL1Ew8q9NSghysj9ZftDHvgl 3) The Clean Love Project Hygiene Kits Assembling: May 21st, 2022 11 VT Seva Detroit volunteers got this wonderful opportunity to help them assemble and pack around 2000 Hygiene kits for Detroit Women and young girls in need. Clean Love Hygiene kits to women and young girls who are homeless, live in poverty, or are survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking. The Clean Love project is a women's welfare organization with a mission to make the much-needed women and young girls to feel clean, loved, and empowered. The VT Seva team helped the organization to assemble and pack a feminine hygiene product kit that were to be distributed to women and young girls suffering in poverty or survivors of domestic violence or homeless. The hygiene kits included purse, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorants, sanitizers, moisturizers, tissues and sanitary napkins. In the end the team also joined a Raffle and won some goodies. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Hajanathan Muhunthan, Sanjeev Nethaji, Nikhil Srinivasan, Tanvi Rajesh, Shreya Srinivasan, Hrudya Kishore Adult Volunteers : Komathy Muhinthan, Meera Srinivasan, Muhinthan Murugesu, Nethaji Anamuthu, Vanitha Gopalan Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0T6vCRCsbaZML3tebFBjrjTF4Pz8FE362Psk1UC2ZE8DLfKEp2QX2SDoVyR7AW1CSl 4) Crossroads Community Garden volunteering: June 1, 2022 Crossroads community grows vegetables and donates them to Hospitality House food bank in Walled Lake. The VTSeva team today helped to clean the plantation area by removing all the weeds and leveling the surface for planting. The team used a RotoTiller, which they had never used before and enjoyed the experience. This was also fun as it was outdoor hard labor work to do on a perfect summer day. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵: Sai Sri Ram Karnati, Eashan Daram, Nirvan Daram, Nikhil Aerabati, Inbaan Arul, Iniyaan Arul, Pravin Manoj Kumar 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀: Srinath Karnati, Arul , Sona Arul, Athilakshmi, Vaishnavi Aerabati, Vanitha Gopalan Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02qW9BSTZ8j5vHWoedTqerFqXpfMK8n81xAWtT2qoBJ83jnEkcsfy35Q8izeZzZcTbl 5) Gleaners Mercado hub volunteering: June 4, 2022 Mercado Food Hub is an organization that distributes packaged foods to underprivileged people in the metro Detroit area. Together our volunteers packed more than 13,845 pounds of food serving more than 94 Detroit families in need. Gleaners Mercado Community Food Hub is a client choice pantry where children and families thrive and have access to healthy food and an array of services that improve their overall quality of life. The volunteers packed the produce in the boxes, packed the cold food items in boxes, arranged and assorted all boxes on carts as per request of the supervisor, Rearranged shelves items, stacked items, and loaded the clients’ cards, restocked cold food items and finally cleaned the whole area. Youth Volunteers: Anvika Perumalla, Nikhil Aerabati, Sairaaga Perala, Oviya Jaishankar, Saanvi Duruvasan, Christeena Boddakayala Adult Volunteers : Raghunath Aerabati, Vanitha Gopalan Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02Hf7qNAaoc5kWoHipdyF3Y7FBgNNNYQmSEaBMaamZYD8BzTcFSLmekKRLaHoi9YDdl 6) Destined for Greatness Ford Wellness Center: June 5, 2022 Destined for Greatness is an organization provide support to young girls who are helpless and comes from underprivileged families in metro Detroit. VT Seva Team joined with Destined for Greatness in Ford Wellness center to Volunteer. The team helped in organizing the scattered clothes, toys etc. and separated them based on gender, age, size etc. and packed them in big bags. The Team received Detroit makeover community certificates and were very happy for the opportunity to help the community. Youth Volunteers: Varun Brijesh, Anand Brijesh, Hrudya Kishore, Fares Elmahrouky, Salma Bassel, Sai Sahasra Namuduri, Ishan Iyer, Dheemanth Akshay, Tej Penugonda Adult Volunteers : Kishore, Ragunath Namuduri, Srinivas Kumar, Gopal Brijesh, Jayshree Brijesh, Suresh Rajan, Vanitha Gopalan. Facebook post : https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02JAELi5snveYKcCLdKpf4uwiosUkThEk3nJggdZpnwkoM89hY1Uz7AnUfqG7d6Mhtl 7) Matthaei Botanical Gardens Volunteering in the University of Michigan: June 18, 2022 This was one-of-a-kind volunteering where the kids learnt a lot about Ecology. They had a 3mile walk in the botanical gardens as part of a tour with two UofM students who were very knowledgeable on the flora and fauna of the garden. The team were given tasks along the way. It was very different and informative unlike the other services the VT seva team had done. They had to pull out invasive species, especially the one identified as Dame’s Rocket. On the way the team also saw rare species of plants, trees and birds. They were able to see Gray Crested Flycatcher Bird, Blue Bird, Butterflies, Damsel Files and flowers like Tulip Tree, wild mushrooms, poison Ivys, American Bladder Nuts etc. Overall, it was a very informative and interesting adventure rather than volunteering for the team. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Nikhil Aerabati, Hrudya Kishore, Sathvik Kanduri, Akshith Ashwanth, Aditi Kompally, Lalitaditya Akkaraju, Eesha Chigullapally, Yana Panchal, Niharika Prabhu, Anish Nallani, 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Vaishnavi Aerabati, Srinivas Kanduri, Mahesh Hebbar, Suresh Rajan, Rajesh Durga, Ravinder Akkaraju, Vanitha Gopalan Facebook post : https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid064tFomsJNMLpV3MXAoc1gReK2uzG4SVmbaRFJaDfhHuRu4xvS6o75wLLUjD3u4RTl 8) VT Seva Detroit Soccer Fundraising Tournament 2022: June 25, 2022 VT Seva Detroit organized a boarded indoor fundraising soccer tournament yet again this year to benefit the blind and visually challenged children in India. This year’s turnout was unprecedented with 33 games in the 3 age Groups with a total of 93 players. Please find more details about this event in this blog https://www.vtsworld.org/post/2022-vt-seva-detroit-soccer-for-a-cause Youth Volunteers: Yug, Abhinav, Akshay, Sai, Oviya, Supraja, Aditi, Nikita, Aahana, Varshini. Adult Volunteers : Suresh ji, Darshan ji, Vanitha ji, Srinath ji, Priya ji, Jaishankar ji, Anitha ji, Alvin Ji, Archita ji, Nandhini ji & Srinivas ji Facebook post : https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02H1h68CTznDc5WXvKzGF7ySgiAhQ7kMsUNxj3kQk1bX4cuQNAm1pY3jxx2URVwQpRl 9) Crossroads Community Garden Outdoor Volunteering: July 6th, 2022 Crossroads community is a community garden, produce from which goes to local food banks bridging the gap to provide fresh produce to those in need. VT seva team cleaned the planting areas and removed all weeds using the rototiller. It was a great outdoor event on a summer day and was well spent by the volunteers giving back to the community. Youth Volunteers: Sai SriRam Karnati, Kavya Karnati, Avantika Putta, Aahana Jain Adult Volunteers : Srinath Karnati, Suresh Rajan, Vanitha Gopalan Facebook post : https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02FUc8DHNwzz8SBUACcuL2KAdG4Qtg667mCgnbC5F6Sda8nSjczNB1XrGE5D6ep5jYl 10) Earthworks Urban Farm Volunteering: July 9th, 2022 The Capuchin Soup Kitchen’s Earthworks Urban Farm is a large certified organic farm where the majority of their produce goes into meals at the soup kitchen who serve food to many homeless people in the Detroit community. VT Seva team helped there by removing the weeds, cleaning the landscapes, removing scapes, Sifting the compost pile and turning it into dirt. To sift the compost means to dig up solid and pass it thru metal weave to separate the wanted and unwanted materials. The Compost was further used in gardens, nurseries etc. It was a great outdoor event and a learning experience for the team to understand how farmers keep the land fertile and manage the compost for natural fertilizers. Youth Volunteers: Hajanthan Muhinthan, Varshan Muhinthan, Shritha Thirunagari, Srivatsa Thirunagari, Yana Panchal, Eesha Chigullapally, Nikhil Srinivasan, Tanvi Rajesh, Shreya Srinivasan Adult Volunteers : Meera Srinivasan, Komathy Muhinthan, Muhinthan Murugesu, Vanitha Gopalan Facebook post : https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02EhW5gM2vk8uQA8dKBUaB7uE3xj5rmWHfRQSnMng1K1Mc8QNFvoku8w9TfGmo9HFgl 11) Arts and Scraps Remote Volunteering Projects: May-July, 2022 a) Cutting Foam Project b) Cutting Fabrics Project 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 & 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝘁. To do that they rely heavily on volunteers like ourselves. Stickies, sock loops, ticket stubs, fabric, buttons, you name it they use many different materials and textures to inspire our students during their STEM Programming. 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝟯𝟰 𝗮𝘄𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗩𝗧 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 & 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 two 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Nikhil Aerabati, Varun Aerabati, Sai Sri Ram Karnati, Hajanthan Muhinthan, Varshan Muhinthan, Sathvik Kanduri, Sai Sahasra Namuduri, Sanjay Sundar Pandiyan Saisha Srivatsan, Shreya Srivatsan, Rohan Patil, Hrudya Kishore, Eashan Daram, Nirvan Daram, Iniyann Arul, Inbann Arul, Aarush Kollu, Medhas Kollu, Varshini, Barla. Pravin Manoj Kumar Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0Vsr1wGrMmE9onKR7ZekrdhD21FVdioGLz56KH2B9AX1shdxAgXRoGt8Tj7XyWPhhl 12) Crossroads Community Garden Outdoor Volunteering. July 27th, 2022 Crossroads community is a community garden, produce from which goes to local food banks bridging the gap to provide fresh produce to those in need. VT seva team cleaned the planting areas and removed all weeds using the rototiller. It was a great outdoor event on a summer day and was well spent by the volunteers giving back to the community. The youth volunteers also put up the reflectors to ward off the critters, birds & deer. Youth Volunteers: Diva, Aahana, Akshay, Iniyaan, Inbaan, Udhaaya, Veeksha Adult Volunteers : Arul Jaiprakash, Ramya Battu, Sona Vivekananda, Suresh Rajan, Vanitha Gopalan Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0DBNUfFW4pWe1TSiP6zYu1SMCViKQ4WVBq9ibV2DYXoVkcU5eez3YyZWKTuYeXWaCl 13) World Medical Relief, Inc Volunteering. July 30, 2022 World Medical Relief collects and distributes recycled medical and dental supplies and medicines to help thousands of sick and poor people around the world. These goods are distributed in a non-discriminatory manner without regard to race, color, gender, and religion, nationality, or political beliefs. It was an amazing experience to be able to sort and repackage supplies that will be shipped to Ukraine during their terrible times and meeting their medical needs. Youth Volunteers: Eesha chigullapally; Aditi Jethri Kompally; Aahana Jain; Pravin Manoj Kumar; Veeksha Somula, Kushal Durga; Anurag Balaji; Sanjeev Nethaji, Shreya Srivatsan Adult Volunteers : Venkat Chigullapally; Nirmala Srivatsan; Bhavana Patel; Manoj Kumar; Vandana Durga; Vanitha Gopalan Facebook post : https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0Jp1QkYvTaxiuvMzvfNEDYmyjyreh1hWFnjj5SRrhrzUm5hPDCM6TVt6Fsfg12qYal 14) 9th Annual Volleyball & Throwball Fundraising Tournament. August 20, 2022 All the funds raised will go towards the education of the visually challenged children of Nethra Vidyalaya and Tribal School students. Please find details about this tournament in this blog link below. Blog about VB tournament: https://www.vtsworld.org/post/vt-seva-detroit-9th-annual-volleyball-throwball-tournament-august-20th-2022 Youth Volunteers : Kavya, Sneha, Jayanth, Niharika, Ahana, Veena, Hrudya, Supraja, Leo, Sail, Nikhil, Shreya, Alok, Ishan, Teja, and Arya Adult Volunteers: Suresh, Ram, Venkat, Vanitha, Sudheer, Jyothi, Jaishankar, Swaroop, Srikanth, Meera, Ramya, Sreenivas, Nandhini, Sireesha ji, and Srinath ji Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02mgn4HZbqMmBXQrm5K8q75TxEAbN3q41VEoBQTaoEkfPsyFMiHC9yDvXnJ2NXtnjbl 15) Mailing Supplies Project to help Penrickton Center for Blind Children (Remote) Aug 1st to Aug 22nd, 2022 Penrickton Center for Blind Children is a non-profit that provides care to support blind, multi-disabled children and their families. The service they provide to families is for no charge so they fully rely on donations from the community. Throughout the year Penrickton Center sends out requests for donations and invitations to raise funds. VT Seva Volunteers got this opportunity again this year to help them assemble their mailing supplies items in envelopes as per their directions for their fundraising purposes. We received the mailing supplies items were picked up from the center in August 1st week & all the items were sorted with the help of few of our adult volunteers, well made into 26 kits for 26 youth volunteers to do this project. The mailing supplies were picked up from the Penrickton Center, sorted and organized as 26 kits with the help of few of our adult volunteers. Youth Volunteers: Ajitesh V, Rishi A, Kushal D, Rishi C, Shruthi A, Rishi A, Kaustubh D, Vibha D, Saathvik K, Kavya K, Sai K, Saisha S, Shreya S, Akshith A, Srihari H, Sanjaya T, Rishabh M, Amogh M, Pravin M, Varun B, Anand B, Haji M, Varshan M, Sriram H, Anirudh C, and Pranavi C. Adult Volunteers: Suresh Rajan, Sudheer Koppu, Asha Puranam, Jyothi Srinath and Vanitha Gopalan Ji. YouTube link: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LrTan9SFpHs&feature=share Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0G2iaqpsDcUDSZAN5g32n112pZxfaVqr6tLH64ESS3qchSw4PDhaoypALHA7JX9Tel 16) World Medical Relief Volunteering: Aug 27th, 2022 Another great volunteering opportunity & a wonderful learning experience for all our 15 Detroit volunteers on Aug 27th at World Medical Relief. World Medical Relief began collecting and distributing recycled medical and dental equipment, medical supplies, and medicines to aid thousands of sick and poor people around the globe. Their mission is to facilitate the distribution of surplus medical resources where they are needed. Goods are distributed in a non-discriminatory manner without regard to race, color, gender, religion, nationality or political beliefs. For many years, World Medical Relief continued its international goal of helping people with medical and pharmaceutical needs in developing countries. Youth Volunteers: Eesha chigullapally; Aditi Jethri Kompally; Aahana Jain; Pravin Manojkumar; Nishant Sharma, Kushal Durga; Mithun Nandakumar; Shreya Srivatsan; Sai Sahasra Adult Volunteers: Venkat Chigullapally;Nirmala Srivatsan; Athi Lakshmi;Rajesh Durga; Raghunath Namudiri, Vanitha Gopalan Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid036wEYSNpFSSiyzod7LxmPGXxAtTassgZxnivGcgHpqQmGDX4ERJ4GYsMo8cMvQShjl 17) Hanuman Temple Sewa Volunteering – Sep 7th & 14th, 2022 It was indeed a great fulfilling experience to help our local Sri Bhaktha Hanuman Temple MI USA with whatever help was requested by the temple priest. 1. All the puja items were emptied from the cabinets shelves, sorted, grouped, and organized into various boxes & placed them in an orderly fashion. 2. All the cable wires and electric gadgets were organized and kept in shelves 3. The Decor items were segregated, grouped, and organized into different boxes. 4. Temple office room was cleaned, cupboards outside the office area were also neatly organized. 5. Sorted out new clothes like Perumal dhoti, sarees and other accessories. 6. Kitchen pantry shelves were neatly cleaned, sorted, and organized as per the temple chef's instructions. 7. Then all the Vastrams (Deities cloths) were segregated, neatly folded, and placed in separate cabinets for Abhishekam purposes. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵: Sai Karnati, Nishanth Sharma, Rachana, Rohan Patil, Sriraam Hebbar, Kirupali Sathyanathan, Abisrishti Ram, Aadhya Ram, Hajanthan Muhinthan and Varshan Muhinthan 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁: Srinath Karnati, Sailatha Thukkaram, Ranjani Raghu, Jyothi Karnati, Ajay Sharma, Suresh Rajan, Vanitha Gopalan, Savita Pail, Raj Patil, Subha Ram, Ram Ramanathan, Veena Hebbar, Komathy Selvarajan and Muhinthan Murugesu Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0Jq865bsQQkgtJqrxPvkHyn1qbGUGwCWjGsZLUbgsMwzV5fiVTfPbmN2GxbDu2Xzwl https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid065mqyRRz4Yf2kpe7g3pcqNb68FnZnb8jf93ZXBwnNMQe9khDfQEC95XuF5wkU4CYl 18) Cottage Painting at MCHS Family Services – Sep 24th, 2022 MCHS Family of Services provides individualized treatment, care, advocacy, and permanency to children and families impacted by childhood trauma. MCHS Family of Services is a child welfare agency located in Redford and Detroit providing foster care and adoption, transitional living, child abuse prevention and community wellness programs. VT Seva Detroit Volunteers got a great oppourtunity to help them paint their cottages for these children living there. A group of 20 volunteers painted couple of cottages with the guidance of the coordinator Blai, he explained in details how to apply masking tape around all the wood frames, edges and electrical outlets. We were supplied with all the tools such as paint rollers with extenders, brushes, paint trays, paint, step ladders, towels, tarp, gloves and masks. Blain explained the right way of applying the paint onto the walls around the corridors and bedrooms. There were 10 rooms and corridor walls that had to be painted Youths : Kushal, Rohan, Amogh, Rishabh, Nishant, Saanvi M, Saanvi D, Ashish R, Leo S, Harsh, Bhuvan A, Nikhil R 𝐀𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬: Vandana D, Vaishnavi R, Ramachandra V, Savita P, Raj P, Nivedhitha M, Suresh R & Vanitha G Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/455621053268071 Blog Consolidation: VTSeva Detroit YB Volunteer, Supraja Video Created: VTSeva Detroit YB Volunteer, Aahana Blog Published: VTSeva Detroit Communications, Nandini

VT Seva Dallas recently concluded its 12th annual cancer awareness walk/run. This year, we resumed our in-person walkathon, as in the previous two years we hosted virtual walkathons due to Covid. This event was successfully conceptualized and coordinated with the support of all our volunteers, youth, and adult. We had an amazing turnout of about 150 people, as enthusiastic crowds across Dallas flocked to the walkathon to show their support and were rewarded with a nice morning walk, while also getting educated about the various cancers and how to prevent them as a community. We started off with our branch director's welcome note, Mr. Uttam Indukuri, who spoke about our past annual Dallas cancer walkathons, and our goal for this year's walkathon. Unlike our previous years where our main initiative for this event was for raising funds for cancer screening camps in India, this year's walkathon held the goal of raising $20,000. The proceeds from the 12th Annual Cancer Awareness Walk/Run will be used to empower rural women in multiple ways through purchasing machinery to manufacture sanitary napkins to raise awareness of personal hygiene among girls and women from rural areas. Along with that, the proceeds will also go to training rural women to get hired to work in manufacturing. These products are ensured to be environmentally friendly and will be distributed free of cost. This is an important cause because globally, 2.3 billion people lack basic sanitation services, which can lead to infections and Cancer. We also had a couple of guest speakers, including our very own mayor from Frisco, Jeff Cheney, as well as Dr. Kiran Kancharla, an oncologist with a very informative speech about cancer awareness and prevention. We are so thankful for them coming out on a beautiful Saturday morning, and appreciating VT Seva Dallas’ efforts through the Cancer walkathon. The day started off with yoga to stretch out before the walk, led by Mr. Sateesh Burgadda, which got everyone energized and ready for the main event. After the walkathon, which saw people of all ages participating, teams of volunteers presented and educated walkers about different types of cancers, through descriptive posters and presentations. We had prizes for our leaderboard in three different age groups, 10 and under, 11-15, 16-25, and the adults category respectively. Prizes were also given out based on the leaderboard at the end of the month-long competition leading up to the walkathon, where users would register and log their daily number of miles walked. The day concluded with activities including a quiz on VTSeva’s efforts, a lemon spoon game, and even fun face painting. VT Seva Dallas is thrilled by the immense support towards this noble cause and is grateful for the collaboration with the Dallas community. By: Arnav Senapathi and Vishnu Heddese Here are some of the pictures taken during the event:

SUBHA 2022 "You have right to action, but never to the fruits of action, so do not do action for the sake of fruit, nor be attached to work." - Bhagavad Gita (Chapter II, Verse 47). Atlanta VT team embodies action-oriented approach with service mindset and humble attitude to inspire and empower our youths to be the servant leaders of tomorrow through our Subha Annual event! The word 'Subha' represents the first ray of light in the horizon, the light that slowly transforms even the darkest of nights into a bright, beautiful sunrise. It symbolizes hope, light, and happiness even in the most obscure and difficult times. The VT Seva Atlanta team aimed to spread this light into the lives of 125 visually challenged children of Nethra Vidyalaya in India, with our Subha program. With Swamiji blessings, SUBHA 2nd annual event was a success in terms of maximum youth participation, richness in the cultural program, funds raised for the Nethra Jewels, and promoting diversity and inclusion. We are able to accomplish our goal of raising funds for approximately 125 Nethra kids with your immense Grace and generous support of our donors. In this Subha event, we had support from many new Atlanta volunteers both youths and adults and at present we have more than 500 plus volunteers in Atlanta VT and Jet family. Unique to Atlanta is the establishment of 5 VT Seva Youth Clubs in 5 High schools : Lambert, Denmark, Northview, Alliance Academy, and Alpharetta Highschool which are promoting diversity and inclusion and inspiring young hearts for the selfless service to all beings. The SUBHA annual event was organized on Dec 3rd, 2022, in which Atlanta youths presented a cultural program comprising of melodious songs, magnificent dances, and meaningful messages. Our Chief Guests were Sargent Seamore from Johns Creek Police Department, Dana Reynolds and Donaldson from Laurel Heights Hospital Business Development Team, and Dr. Praveen Gudipati from Cumming Dental. The program commenced by lighting an auspicious lamp and prayer recitation. Next, were the American and Indian National Anthems by our youths. Subsequently, was a welcome speech by Madhu Nemani, VT Seva Director expressing her sincere gratitude to Swamiji for bestowing us with this opportunity to organize Subha and carryout HIS VISION and MISSION in Atlanta. She also welcomed all the Chief guests, Jet and Prajna coordinators, sponsors, and all the children, youths, and adults of VT Seva and Jet Atlanta teams. She shared her first-hand experience of visiting Varija Ashram in Visakhapatanam in July 2022 and how the funds raised has positively impacted the lives of the visually challenged and assisted them in becoming self reliant.   Thereafter, was a stellar presentation  ‘Alone we can’t Together we CAN’  by Hithesh Gazzalaji and Anuradha Gazzalaji in which they presented the highlights of Atlanta’s year-round volunteer works in the field of educational, environmental, disaster relief, healthcare and its impact on the Atlanta community. This presentation touched the hearts of all and motivated all to do more and do better in 2023 and thereafter. Hitheshji also shared his reason for joining VT Seva as he was challenged himself in childhood and how he has overcome his challenges with good education and now is self-reliant and independent.     Next, was an Indian Kucchipudi dance by Prajna children which was followed by  ‘Unity in Diversity’  our star performance in which 5 VT Seva Youth Club members participated - Lambert high school, Denmark high school, Northview high school, Alliance academy, and Alpharetta high school. They exhibited the real unity in diversity by portraying a beautiful action song on ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ . This song presented the rich Indian heritage, its culture, all-embracing confluence of religions, traditions, and customs. Our 5 club youth club members beautifully exhibited the Indian patriotic spirit and its treasure - the rich soil, the art, the dance, the music, the culture, the flora and fauna, the value-based education, and the Indian legacy. In brief, it’s a look and taste of India in every aspect. Thereafter Atlanta youths presented Bollywood dances, Indian classical songs, and Instrumental music performances which created an aura of celebration and commemoration for all.   Afterwards, our Chief guests rendered their inspirational speeches in which they highly praised the exemplary volunteer works that our VT Seva youths have done this year, their selfless service, its positive impact on the Atlanta community, donations raised, and stellar cultural program. We’ll work hand-in-hand with the John’s Creek police officers to make this place safe for all and Serve All Beings As Service To God. Later, momentous were given to the Chief guests, sponsors, VT Seva children, and volunteers. In the end, VT Seva Director appreciated the hard work, dedication, and selfless service of the entire Atlanta team. She also sincerely thanked all the donors for their generous contributions for the noble cause. Overall, Subha 2022 was very rewarding and gratifying experience for us. The delightful dances, the meaningful messages, and the soulful songs together created a memorable and treasured afternoon for all.     Dr. Madhu Nemani On behalf of VT Seva & Jet Atlanta Team VT Seva Atlanta's goal for this year is to support the education of 125 Visually Challenged / Blind students. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart - Helen Keller The Atlanta VT Seva team wishes to see the unseen, touch the untouched, and feel inexpressible joy and happiness by organizing our SUBHA annual event. What is SUBHA? The word ' SUBHA ' represents the first ray of light in the horizon, the light that slowly transforms even the darkest of nights into a bright, beautiful sunrise. It symbolizes hope, light, and happiness even in the most obscure and difficult times. The Atlanta team has been spearheading this light into the lives of the special-needs children of Laurel Heights Hospital in Atlanta and the visually challenged / blind children of Nethra Vidyalaya in India with our Subha program. Atlanta VT Seva youth believes that one can go as far as he wants with education. She has donated her tutoring allowance to go to the right cause - Education For All You can also be part of this Giving gesture. Your act of giving will illuminate the lives of visually challenged - bringing ‘SUBHA’ (Light, Hope & Happiness) in their lives. We can all be SUBHA for someone else today! Optionally you can also donate through Zelle. Mark your Zelle payments to treasurer@vtsworld.org Please add a note stating the cause, "VT Seva Atlanta Subha 2022". Thanks! Because of your generous support in 2021, we could make a positive impact on 100 blind / visually challenged kids of Nethra Vidyalaya. Supriya, a 7th grade student of the Nethra Vidyalaya appreciates your generous donation. Her ambition is to become IAS officer. She cannot see but has a Vision. Let’s help her & other Nethra kids to realize their Dreams! Nimisha, an English Teacher of the Nethra Vidyalaya is blessed to be part of this institution. She is giving her Best for the education of blind / visually challenged. Let’s open our hearts & wallets and give our best also to make these kids self reliant & independent! Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Leaders https://www.vtsworld.org/post/pg-top-ranks-in-top-universities-from-netra-vidyalaya Message from the CEO of Laurel Heights Hospital - Corey Jackson SUBHA 2021 Celebrations & Reminiscence Join Atlanta VT Seva Volunteers Group!

VTSeva Austin youth are turning their passion for painting to support the dreams of Visually challenged and tribal students. Volunteers Raina, Anvita, Amrutha, and Vaibhav are inviting you to their silent auction display at the event "Beats for a cause" on Nov 12t at "Anderson Mill Elementary school" Austin. Each painting is an effort to fulfill the dreams of the visually challenged and tribal kids to become confident and self-reliable citizens, who otherwise feel helpless or end up as child laborers. Read how your generous donations are transforming their disabilities to abilities. Donation Options : $365/year Sponsor a child education. $180/year Sponsor 6 months of education $100/year Feed a student $31/month Sponsor a child for a year education. You can choose to donate through company donation matching program Pledge here so we can send reminder and send Thank you note. IPledge2VTSeva Support the cause by donating to the paintings below. or You can simply support the efforts by attending the event. Invite your family and friends to join the event and enjoy the evening filled with Music/Dance and delicious food. No amount dis small and will help in making their dreams come true. 1. Buddha 16x20 inch canvas painting 2. Flower Girl 9x12 3. Feather 10x16 4. Flower 10 x16 5. Hot air baloon 9x12 6. Lake View 24x18 7. Hills of Blue 8x8 8. Dusk From far 8x8 9. Pink Sunset 8x8 10. River side 11. Plant to grow

My name is Mahika Patlola and I am a sophomore at Round Rock Highschool, Austin TX. I attended the session 2 summer 2022 VTSeva internship in India this past summer and representing the Austin chapter, I wanted to share my remarkable experience with everyone. The knowledge and memories I gained from the internship taught me many things that I will keep with me for the rest of my life. There were 12 other students attending with me, all from various VT branches all over the US. The internship took place in India, in a village gurukulam school in the middle of an extremely dense forest, known as the Kawal Tiger Reserve. The gurukulam school where we visited is in an extremely serene, and beautiful location, with mountains, fields and a dense forest surrounding it. The forest is so dense and isolated that the villages (thandaas) within have their own distinct language and culture. Despite this extremely remote location, the children of the thandaas have an opportunity for an impactful education. The gurukulam supported by VT SEVA gives the children in the remote and extremely underdeveloped thandaas, a fully fledged education, where students that attend are able to speak fluent English by the time they graduate. This would not be possible if it wasn’t for the efforts of dedicated VT SEVA volunteers. Our fundraising we do in VT SEVA has a direct impact on children that live across the world from us. These pure, innocent kids deserve every ounce of education that is being provided to them. The essential premise of this internship was that the students from the US would hopefully learn something from the students in the gurukulam, and the students in the gurukulam would learn something from us. All the interns prepared an educational topic that they wanted to teach (along with English) . Some taught robotics, some rocketry, or scratch programming, martial arts, and more. I chose to teach dance along with one other intern. During the school day, I also taught math, English, grammar, environmental sciences, and more. One day after lunch, my dance partner and I went around to some classrooms and made an announcement that if anyone was interested in dance, they could come to the roof of the hostel at 2:30-3:30 to learn a dance. We were only expecting about 15-20 students to come, but to our surprise about 60 girls showed up, all eager to learn our dance. We taught a Bollywood/classical folk dance to the song Laahe Laahe. All the girls were extremely eager to learn, and while I was teaching, there was always someone pulling on my dress, adorably asking me to watch them. “Sister! Sister! Watch me!” After finishing teaching the dance, my voice was gone and I was exhausted, but the screams, laughs, and smiles from all the girls after we finished learning it made me inexplicably happy. It’s important to highlight that we only taught the dance in 1 hour, and everyone who learned it performed the dance perfectly at our intern farewell ceremony. This illustrates how intelligent the gurukulam kids are since they didn't forget the dance. The kids that I met are the happiest and purest kids on earth. During the internship we visited all the thandaas in the area, and distributed fruits to everyone. While we were there, all the kids were grabbing onto my kurta, holding my hand, and asking me to come to their house. I went to some of their houses, and it was a remarkable experience to see how different their lives are compared to mine. As I mentioned earlier, an important point of this internship is that the interns and the gurukulam students learn something from each other, so what did I learn from them? I learned that happiness is a result of making the best of what is provided to you. The kids are so pure, content with their lives. They are always smiling, laughing, having fun, and consistently staying happy no matter what their circumstances look like, and it’s a really inspirational experience. It taught my fellow interns about the true meaning of pure happiness and that anyone can be content by making the best of their situation. If I’m ever feeling down or overwhelmed, I just try and think about my internship, and how purely happy these kids are, it really helps me get back on my feet. This internship was something that I will never forget. I learned so much about myself, my culture, and how diverse the world is. This internship also made me realize how lucky I am to have running water, electricity, and even food, since there are many, many people who don’t have the same luxuries. Additionally, I had so much fun with my fellow interns for the 12 days I spent with them, and I made really great friends and memories that bring a smile to face when I think about them. There was much more to my experience that I didn’t bring up in this short summary. If you want to hear more, please contact me, I would love to talk about it. Thank you so much everyone who made this internship possible. Thank you to all VT SEVA volunteers for helping these kids get the education that they deserve.