INSPIRED by the Oak Creek sangat’s Chardhi Kala 6K Memorial Walk / Run, the Sikh Coalition organized the fifth annual National Day of Seva in honor of those who lost their lives and loved ones at the Oak Creek gurdwara on August 5, 2012.

Seva (selfless service) is an integral part of the Sikh tradition. Nationwide, Sikhs and their fellow Americans from the interfaith community and beyond participated in 24 community service projects in 23 cities – the most to date in the five-year history of the National Day of Seva project.

“Thank you to all of our incredible sevadaars (volunteers) who led these grassroots initiatives,” said Sikh Coalition Executive Director, Sapreet Kaur. “Sikhs have a long tradition of strengthening society through service, and I am proud that Sikh Americans are continuing this tradition throughout the United States in solidarity with the Oak Creek community.”

The seva projects included donations to food pantries, packing lunches for underprivileged children, volunteering at homeless shelters, park restoration projects, and partnerships with Habitat for Humanity.

Sevadaars organized in California: Bakersfield, Sacramento, Modesto, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley / El Sobrante, and San Jose; Houston, TX; New York, NY; Cincinnati, OH; Boston, MA; Seattle/Kent, WA; Detroit, MI; Dallas/Fort Worth, TX; Norwalk, CT; Salt Lake City, UT; Bridgewater, NJ; Atlanta, GA; Charlotte, NC; Beaverton, OR; Nashville, TN; and Vancouver, Canada.

Click here to see pictures from the seva events across the United States and Canada.