The Children’s Playground Area at the Gurdwara

A couple of years ago some of the local Sikh mothers got together in an effort to create a nice space for the local children to have for playing by the Gurdwara. As you know, kids have lots of energy and love to play. We wanted to have a nice place for them to do this. The mothers organized numerous bake sales (selling cookies, cakes, sweets, etc) and other creative “motherly” ways to raise money to pay for a nice playground. It was one of those slow and steady things. After a while one of the local Sikh businesses generously offered to match whatever funds the community gave. As a result we were able to raise enough money and purchase the materials for a nice play area for the kids. (Slides, climbing wall, horse swing, standard swing, tire swing, tower tunnel, etc).

Once it was ordered a big truck came a few weeks later, and dropped off everything next to our Gurdwara; The job was now in the court of all the dads. On a Saturday early in the morning, equipped with all kinds of powertools (drills, hammers, wrenches, saws, etc) the “Pappas” went to work. It was pretty fun. All of the parents and friends who wanted to support the kids area spent the day assembling the playground. Piece by piece we “puzzled” it together. The kids were hovering around the area anxious to be the first to play on the new equipment. It was a great community bonding thing to do as parents. We are a small community and know everyone well, but it is different to do projects like this together to make our community area better.

Now a couple years have passed since then and the mothers are looking again at the area trying to finish off what was started. We were not able to raise enough money for soft ground cover a few years ago, which is needed in case a child falls down (so they don’t break heads or bones). So, a few of the mothers have been at it again raising money. They have been having small dinner fundraisers at their house ($10/plate), selling art work done by the kids, and some of the family artists donated beautiful paintings that they created and sold to raise money (We have quite the artist community). It’s inspiring to see them hard at work doing this for the kids. There have been many new young kids/babies in our community and so they are also going to fix up the area for the really small kids and make a place for them to play too.

Why am I telling you all this? Well it’s a cool story of community involvement but I thought maybe someone who reads this might want to support what the Sikh mothers here are doing. I know you might not relate with giving to something that is not in your local area, but I thought it would be worth a try (Plus I know many locals read this blog too). They are doing things to raise money one dollar at a time, so I’m sure even if a total of $50 was donated it would help.

This just so happens to be at the same time as the SikhNet annual fundraiser so I apologize if all this fundraising stuff seems redundant, but I wanted to try to help out. No pressure from me, but if you feel inspired to help, then great! To make a donation to the mothers/kids play area, click below on the paypal button. I will be forwarding whatever money to them. Thank You!

Ps. I have exciting news to tell you all, but you’ll have to wait till tommmorow. :)

5 Responses to “The Children’s Playground Area at the Gurdwara”

1. Anonymous says:

   January 25, 2006 at 9:42 pm

   I know, you’re going to be dad again. Ain’t i right?

2. Anonymous says:

   January 25, 2006 at 9:46 pm

   I found a video of a sikh prodigy playing tabla. Cehck it out, phew!
   http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=zakir

3. Anonymous says:

   January 25, 2006 at 10:43 pm

   SSA, I wrote b4 to you about blog with waheguru jaap, well the web site is guramritsingh.blogspot.com Just today i saw it no longer has music. Otherwise previously it had very very beautiful voice which just did waheguru jaap along with the mouse cursor, Can you please find out? Thanks

4. Anonymous says:

   January 26, 2006 at 6:55 am

   HAHAHA, i like it anon @9:42:18pm.
   What you say Gurmustak jee,time to go for… now.

   You haven’t accepted my request yet(to put up the meanings of one of the shabad…)

5. Anonymous says:

   January 26, 2006 at 6:19 pm

   ialways thought the sikhs in new mexico were rich out of their minds……

   i guess i was wrong