May 19th, 2013 - Jersey City Balavihar Swamiji Visit, Kids Performances

Hari OM everyone!

Thanks to everyone, the event well off very well. It was wonderful to see everyone looking and so enthusiastic despite the weather. It was also lovely to finally meet some of the spouses- who not only were enthusiastic, but also so very very helpful in getting things done! 

The event was very well orchestrated, beautiful and full of love and dedication. The children's performances were heart warming and brilliant and the parents performance was spectacular!

Thank you to Swamiji for coming to visit our Balavihar family, for changing his schedule and coming all the way to bless us, for his love and inspiration and for looking the other way when Uncle Siva signs big checks to pay for the BV! Thank you for your love Swamiji!

Since Food is the most important- Big thank you to the food committee led by Anjali Sharma & Veeresh Singh for the delicious and tasty food, the well defined menu for breakfast, and the great desserts. Thank you to everyone who cooked and for repeat of your trademark dishes! Everything was delicious and the empty trays are a testament to that. A special shout out to Shilpaji and family for providing all the eating utensils (plates, napkins, glasses, tablecloth, bags serving spoons etc) not only for this event but for the next 4 events! :)

Thank you to the teachers for coming together so well. The children looked fabulous and performed so wonderfully! The costumes were creative and so extraordinary and the timing and delivery of lines absolutely amazing. Special thanks to Ramya, Priya, Sandhya, Shwetha, Harshala Aunty & Deepa for teaching their kids so well and making sure they stayed mostly on track..and for the great digressions in an otherwise boring story! Thank you for their voices in chanting and in song, and their well managed enthusiasm!

Special thanks to Priya and Mira who not only looked amazing but gave an enthralling and inspirational performance - one to admire and inspire and learn from. Thank you both for your dedication, effort and work at the Balavihar and at this event!

Thank you to the dads who "got handy" in the morning and climbed on the ladders, stuck flowers, cut tape, stuck up banners, cleaned up and moved furniture around, did heavy lifting, operated cameras and recoding equipment and captured special moments during the course of the day, soothed crying babies, managed cranky children, changed soiled diapers, set up buffet tables, fetched and delivered stuff, set up books, took care of Swamiji and then cleaned everything up when the tasks were done. You all are invaluable to the Balavihar and your commitment and dedication to just amazing!! Thank you all! 

Thank you to all the moms and grandmas, who cooked, cleaned, came, dressed the kids in such spectacular costumes, managed kids, did the Purnakumbha and Aarti pooja, managed their classes, helped out with the buffet, served Swamiji, decorated and cleaned up stuff, took kids to bathroom, fed them snacks and food, cleaned up and kept cleaning up, made the special moments to be captured on film, dragged some unwilling spouses to BV and put them to work, carried things that others may need to BV, changed other people's kids and took care of them, managed "wardrobe malfunctions" and smiled and made it all look so easy. Thank you all!!

Thank you to Vasava Uncle and Uncle Siva for bringing Swamji, delaying him just that little bit so that we all got our act together, carrying all the fundamentals that we needed for running the event and providing crucial guidance on how to manage what for the BV. We are truly grateful for your inspiring leadeership, seva and your dedication. Thank you very much!

Last but not the least, very special thanks to Harshala Aunty and Sandhya for designing, deliberation, managing and executing this entire event. Sandhya for her musical gift and providing entertainment, mentoring and on event- babysitting help when required. Harshala Aunty who not only single handedly managed the logistics of all the items but also was instrumental in the stage design and set up! Harshala Aunty's dedication for this effort and the Balavihar is unmatched and we are all truly grateful for that! 

Thank you all. Have a great memorial day weekend and see you all either at the Chinmaya Mission family camp or June 2nd. 

Love & OM!