OBITUARY
IT is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing away of DALJIT SINGH SIDHU, a pioneer in real estate for over 40 years in Vancouver & the Fraser Valley. He was a spiritual and community leader, a loving father, a caring husband and a family man. Daljit passed on April 12, one day after his birthday, surrounded by many who loved him. Daljit is survived by his loving wife, Kanchan Sidhu, a daughter, two sons and their families. If you knew Daljit you would certainly remember him for being a peaceful, inspiring, honest gentleman who would always do his best for someone who asked his help. Born on April 11, 1938, in Ludhiana, Punjab, he immigrated to Canada from England in 1967. He lived most of his life in North Delta and in Panorama Ridge, Surrey. Daljit had a great passion for building and supporting his community and gave wholeheartedly towards this goal throughout his lifetime. The funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 19th at the Riverside Funeral Home at 7410 Hopcott Road, Delta.
B.C. EVENTS
(These are FREE listings. Email: EditorVoice@gmail.com)
Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar: Vaisakhi Celebration
Saturday, April 19: Parade Route: The Vaisakhi Parade is scheduled to begin at about 9:30 a.m. at the Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar, located at 12885-85 Avenue. It will conclude there at about 4 p.m. Main Stage Timeline: * 11-11:45 a.m.: Traditional Sikh hymn singers * 11:45 .am.-12:45 p.m.: Ceremony honoring community volunteers * 12:45-1:30 p.m.: Speaker series.
For more information about the event including the parade route visit: www.surreyvaisakhiparade.ca.
Annual Plant, Bake and Craft Sale
Plants in Real Time: Check out the Reality of the BC Fuchsia and Begonia Society, at the VanDusen Botanical Garden Floral Hall, 37th Ave and Oak Street, Vancouver. Saturday April 19, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free admission. Face painting for kids of all ages. China painters. Unique vendor items. Prize draws. Home baking. Refreshments. Great variety of plants. Some hardy fuchsias. Vendor tables available: call Sylvia and Derek at 604-277-2905. For information call Sandy & Ruth at 778-881-0175 Everyone welcome. Wheel chair accessible.
South Asian Seniors: Musical Chairs Game
Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey invites South Asian senior members and non-members to participate in Musical Chairs game for fun, entertainment & get-together in two groups on April 20, 2-3:30 p.m., at Shanti Niketan Hall of Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple, 8321 – 140th Street, Surrey. The last winner in each group will receive a small gift. Tea and light snacks will be served. Call Surendra Handa at 604-507-9945 for more details.
Special: BC Victims of Homicide
Are you living with the traumatic loss of a loved one? Are you in need of support? The BC Victims of Homicide, an initiative of the BC Bereavement Helpline, is hosting an eight week traumatic loss grief support group for the South Asian community in Surrey in partnership with Valley View Funeral Home. When: Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., starting May 7 and ending June 25. Cost: Free – but registration is required. Space is limited. Languages: Punjabi, Hindi and English. Facilitators: Jas Cheema and Manjeet Singh. To register or for more information, contact Jas Cheema by phone at 604-561-2700 or by email at: jascheema@shaw.ca. Please refer this group to your network or to anyone who may benefit from it.
Canada Cancer Society
Help us build our Daffodil Campaign in April in the City of Surrey and Abbotsford community. We are looking for volunteers to donate 2 to 4 hours on weekends throughout April. Please call 604-837-6837 to volunteer in Surrey, call 604-533-1816 to volunteer in Abbotsford.
Surrey Libraries: Filing Personal Tax Return
Surrey Libraries are offering free clinics for those eligible, at City Centre, Guildford and Strawberry Hill branches. A volunteer from DIVERSEcity, trained by the Canada Revenue Agency, will help prepare & electronically file (if eligible) your tax return. You must be a Surrey resident and your income falls within these guidelines: Single Person: $30,000. Single parent with child: $35,000. Each additional child: $ 2,500. Couples: $40,000. Investment income under: $ 1,000. You have a simple tax return (no self employment, no bankruptcy, no forms for deceased, no capital gains / losses and no rental income). The clinics operate on a first come, first serve basis. For details, visit the Libraries or www.surreylibraries.ca
Richmond Library: Free Income Tax Clinics
Richmond Public Library, in partnership with the Family Christian Fellowship, is offering free Income Tax Clinic to help those with a low income file their income tax returns. The clinics take place on Saturdays: April 19, and 26 between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. in Community Place Room at the Brighouse (Main) Branch located at 7700 Minoru Gate. If you’re a single person with a maximum income of $30,000, a couple with a maximum income of $40,000, or an adult with one child and a maximum income of $35,000, then you qualify for this free service. Sessions are 45 minutes per person and couples must sign up for one time slot each. To register, call 604-231-6413 or visit the Brighouse 2nd floor information desk. Bring all relevant documents such as T4 and T5 slips.
South Asian Seniors: Filing Income Tax Returns Free
Vedic Seniors Parivar Centre of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society Surrey informs South Asian seniors that during the tax filing period we can help you to file your income tax returns for the year 2013 free of cost from now to April 20 if you are living in Surrey / Delta. The eligibility criteria are as follows: 1. Single individual with annual income limit up to $30,000. 2. Couples with annual income up to $40,000. 3. Adult with one child annual income up to $35,000, add the income limit by $2,500 for each dependent child. Interest income not over $1,000 and this income will be included as total eligibility. With no investment income, no rental income and no partnership income, SIN card and photo identity will be required to prove the documents. If you are eligible then contact Surendra Handa at 604-507-9945.
Free Tax Clinic
Eligibility: Low income Permanent Residents who have been in Canada for 5 years or less. Locations: MOSAIC Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway; MOSAIC Vancouver, 2nd floor, 1720 Grant Street. Service dates: April. Appointments: Have your PR number ready and call required: 604 254 9626 (Vancouver) or 604 438 8214 (Burnaby).
South Asian Women’s Networking Group
BYOBF Network 2-Year Celebration at Ginger 62, 1219 Granville Street, Vancouver on Thursday, April 24, 8-10 p.m. Tickets: $20 Early-bird, $25 Regular. Ticket includes complimentary canapes and a networking reception. For more information: http://byobfnetwork.com. The BYOBF Network is Metro Vancouver’s first South Asian women’s networking group that provides the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded professional women who also share and celebrate each other’s success.
Lyme Disease Awareness Seminar
Free Lyme Disease Awareness Seminar on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. at Semiahmoo House, 15306 24th Avenue, Surrey. Speakers: Dr. Ernie Murakami and Gwen Barlee. Symptoms, treatment and prevention of this multi-system dysfunction epidemic.
Beacon of Hope for Afghan Children Society
8th Annual Benefit Concert on April 25 at 6 p.m. Help us bring hope to Afghan children at Bollywood Banquet Hall, Suite 201 – 8166 128th Street, Surrey. Tickets: $25 per person. For more information, call 604-996-3364 or email info@beaconofhopesociety.org.
South Asian Family Association: Mother & Daughter
South Asian Family Association (SAFA) is hosting their annual Mothers & Daughters – Part 6: on April 26 at 6 p.m. at Vancouver’s Fraserview Hall at 8240 Fraser Street. Come and honour your mother (or daughter) and share your personal story about mother & daughter relationships. Participate in our popular “Aaja Billo Nachiye” Dance Competition, Zumba lesson, Boliyaan competition, entertainment, open dance floor and exquisite food. Tickets available at Kamal’s Video Palace in Surrey and Main Video in Vancouver or call 778-688-3996 for only $20 for a fun-filled evening.
Sai Japa
All devotees are invited at Hindu Cultural Society and Community Centre of B.C. (3885 Albert Street, Burnaby) to participate in Sai Japa on Saturday, April 26 at 5 p.m. Remembrance of Samadhi Day of Satya Sai Baba. Program: 5:15-6:15 p.m. – Bhajans / Kirtan. 6:30-7:15 p.m. – Sai Japa. 7:30 p.m. – Priti Bhojan. Contact: Rajubhai at 604-327-8259,Vijaybhai at 604-986-5958, Kantibhai at 604-522-7989, or Mandir at 604-299-5922.
All Star Wrestling
Presents April Anarchy on Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. At Alice Mckay Building, Cloverdale Fairgrounds, 6050A 176 Street, Surrey. Featuring former ECW, WWE, TNA Star, the Innovator of Violence, Tommy Dreamer teaming with Moondog Manson to take on Kyle Sebastian & Collin Cutler aka Cougar Meat – and much more. Your host will be Scotty Sweatervest. Tickets are $20 front row, $15 ringside rows 2-4, $12 bleachers. Available at
www.allstar-wrestling.com or at Central City Comix, 10221 King George Highway, Surrey, Comics Scene at 8912 152 Street, Surrey. For more info, call 604-710-0872.
Punjabi Language Education Association
Punjabi Language Education Association’s 11th Annual International Mother Language Day on Sunday, April 27, 1:30-4:30 p.m., at Balti House Restaurant, 8220 – 120 Street (Scot Road), Surrey. This year’s function will be dedicated to the Komagata Maru Centenary. Presentations by Punjabi students. Representatives from municipal and provincial governments will share their views about the difficulties in having Punjabi language education classes started in elementary and secondary schools. The audience will also be given time to voice their opinions and engage in an open dialogue. PLEA invites everyone to be part of the annual celebration of Punjabi language. Free event. Refreshments. For more information, contact: Balwant Sanghera at 604-836-8976, Sadhu Binning at 604-437-9014, Parvinder Dhariwal at 778-838-1121 or Paul Binning at 778-889-8255.
Earth Day Pilgrimage to Burns Bog
On April 27. The annual pilgrimage engages several ethnic and religious people in a spiritual journey to connect with the environment and to celebrate the sacred ground of Burns Bog – the largest dome-peat-bog on the west coast of North America and the largest wilderness area in the urban setting of North America also. It is a home of hundreds of species of plants and animals. Join us in protecting it. All are welcome. The event will begin at 1 p.m. at the entrance to the Delta Nature Reserve (beside Planet Ice Delta) with a gathering followed by pilgrimage. For further information, call Dara at 604-572-0373, Rob Dainow at 604-523-0123 or Acharya Dwivedi at 604-507-3099.
Vancouver Satsang Cultural Society
2014 South Asian Heritage Musical Celebration. Come and celebrate the struggle and successes of Indians from Canada, Guyana, Trinidad, Surinam, Mauritius and Fiji on Saturday, May 3 at 6 p.m. at 2215 Pender Street East in Vancouver. Free admission. Dinner included. Contact Chamaylee at 604-945-9510 for complementary tickets.
Documentary on Sri Lankan Civil War
South Asian Film Education Society (SAFES) & South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD) present “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields Of Sri Lanka” (2014), a 49-minute documentaryin English by director Callum Macrae on Sunday, May 4, 2-6 p.m., in Room 1800, SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver. The documentary is on the last days of the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009 and is a devastating indictment of the human rights violations by the Sri Lankan army. Admission is free. RSVP Chin Banerjee: cbanerjee@telus.net
Shakti Dance
Presents “Five Faces’ – a montage of five unique Bharata Natyam dance performances by Anusha Fernando and Sujit Vaidya. Written and narrated by Anusha Fernando.Visual art by Sue Leibik. On Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Norman Rothstein Theatre, 950 West 41st Avenue, Vancouver. Tickets: $20 / $15 for children, seniors and arts workers. Tickets available at Banyen Books (604) 737-8858 and Gaia’s Fair Trade (604) 886-7117. For information, contact shaktidance@shaw.ca or (604) 733-3439.
Indo-Africa Charitable Society Charity Event
For the past seven years, Indo-Africa Society has been raising funds to provide free essential services to the poor in rural Gujarat, India, and rural Uganda such as medical camps, medication, water wells, meals and other amenities that we in the west take for granted. Free meals are also offered on a monthly basis to the homeless in Vancouver. On Saturday, May 10 at 6 p.m. at Riverside Banquet Hall, 14500 River Road, Richmond. Tickets: Adults – $25. Children under 12 – $10. Table of 10 – $225. Keynote address by Dr. Banthia and Dr. Bhanji, Gujarati-style meal, entertainment by Vancouver singers Sheila Siekham, Pravin Narottam, and Anzoom Nathani accompanied by DJ Sham, cash bar. For additional information or to purchase tickets, call Vasant Lakhani at 604-987-1925 or email: vasantlakhani@gmail.com or visit www.vasantlakhani.com.
Quran Memorization Competition
Muslim Association of Canada is holding the 12th Annual BC Quran Memorization Competition: * Preliminaries: Saturday, May 17 * Finals: Saturday, May 24. At MAC Masjid & Community Centre at 2122 Kingsway, Vancouver. The competition is open to participants of all ages, males and females, from all parts of the province. Participants may register for both memorization and recitation. Sponsors needed for the Quran Competition Awards – call 604-434-7526 or email: mac.centre.vancouver@gmail.com. Registration deadline: May 10 at 11:59 p.m. Information and registration: quran.islamicinfocenter.org.
Surrey International Children’s Festival
The Surrey International Children’s Festival is celebrating their 10th Anniversary. Festival dates: May 22-24. Thursday / Friday: 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday: 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at Surrey Art’s Centre box office. The Arts Centre Box Office can be contacted at 604-501-5566.
7th Uganda Medical Mission
Indo-Africa Charitable Society (Canada). Venue: Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited – Lugazi: medical, dental & eye camp from August 4-15 to provide primary examinations and treatments to needy Ugandans. Donation: US$650 (non-refundable) or equivalent in other currencies per person. Register by May 31 by contacting Vasant Lakhaniv(H) (604) 987-1925, vasantlakhani@gmail.com, www.indoafricacharity.com,www.vasantlakhani.com. All participants arrive by August 3 committed fully till the end of the mission.
Canada India Education Council
Presents “The Business of Education” dinner event at Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, Vancouver, on Friday, June 6, 5-9 p.m. Learn about BC’s new education quality assurance standards (EQA) and examine the confluence of ‘business’ with education. How do we measure ‘ROI’? BC is committed to increasing international students by 50% by 2016. Interesting in attending / sponsoring? To view the agenda / speaker profiles, visit: http://canadaindiaeducation.com/bc/
