Proud of my father!

My 79 year old father has never let retirement nor his age stop his passion for helping people. He continues to serve after all these years and I am so proud that now others will also come to know his efforts as he receives an award from the Singapore government.

The details of his award can be found at www.kaumudisingapore.com. I have also obtained permission to reprint it, which I will do so on this blog. Before that, I wish to add that it was my father and my mother's dedication to service and bringing me up under Sree Narayana Guru (the guru whose name the old folks home is named after) that groomed me to become a Baha'i. "One People, One Religion and One God" is the main principle behind Sree Narayana Guru's teachings, and this was the way my parents raised me. My father a dedicated devotee of Sree Narayana Guru, lives his life under these principles, and so had no problem supporting my decision to become a Baha'i. He is also a strong supporter of the Faith. The home he helped to start in the 70s, today has inmates of all different religions, racial and cultural backgrounds. It is truly inspiring to be of parents who live their lives to serve others.

Here is the full article as reposted from the other website:

R Raveendran receives Community Care Award

R. Raveendran, Chairman of the Welfare Sub-committee of Sree Narayana Mission (S'pore) was awarded the Inaugural North West CDC Community Care Award for his forty years' of volunteer services with the Mission.

He was first elected the Secretary of the Mission in 1967. It was during his term as Secretary of the Mission in 1979 that the "Home for the Aged Sick" was established with only four residents at the old Canberra School leased out by the Government to the Mission. Now there are 224 residents at the Home. The Mission is also running another Welfare Home "Meranti Home @ Pelangi Village" for the mentally burnt-out numbering about two hundred.

He was nominated by Bukit Timah Faber Hills Neighbouhood Committee where he was the Secretaryof the Neighbourhood Committee for twelve years since 1994 and at present its Vice-chairman.Another SN Mission Pioneer Volunteer Mr Foo Say Thye was also one of the four recipients who receivedthe awards at a ceremony graced by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports & Second Minister for Information, Communiation and the Arts on 20th January 2007.

Dr Benjie Ng, CEO of the Mission and Mr Rodney Chang Kok Bu (BBM), a member of the Welfare Sub-committee of the Mission were also presented with appointment letters as members of the North West CDC Com Care Steering Committee at the above ceremony.