In Our Community
SSE and Young Adult Service in Honour of Swami’s Mahasamadhi and Honouring Parents and Elders for Mother Easwaramma Celebrations
As part of Swami’s Samadhi Day observance, Toronto East Sai Centre has always done a Centre wide service project where adults and youth make vegetarian pasta or eggless cake and donate the food to a shelter. This year, the devotees wanted SSE students to also do their own service project. Gurus came up with an idea where all the students had to colour brown paper sandwich bags and write an uplifting message on them. The students decorated the bags with creative and colourful artwork.
Christmas Carolling
On Sunday December 17th, 2017, SSE students of all ages, young adults, and several adults of the Sai Centre presented a joint Christmas program at the CLSHD Herron Seniors Home. This is the second Christmas program at the senior’s home. The home was introduced to the Sai Centre through a devotee who worked there during her internship as a caregiver. She introduced the Sai Centre and the SSIO to the Activity Director who was happily welcomed the event.
Sri Sai Satcharitra Parayan at Cooksville Sai Centre
On Monday, May 21st we had planned to commence our reading at 6 am of the Sri Shirdi Sai Satcharitra with a prayer to Lord Ganesha. Devotees took turns reading the various chapters depicting Shirdi Sai Baba’s life while others followed along with the respective copies of their books. It was truly a pleasant and uplifting experience. There were 51 chapters to complete and each chapter descriptively explained how Shirdi Sai Baba led His life. The Satcharitra also provided all devotees an opportunity to absorb the valuable insightful teachings, imparted by Sri Shirdi Sai Baba.
Tree Planting
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre of Cooksville participated in an annual Tree Planting event in partnership with the City of Mississauga. This took place on Saturday, September 23rd at 2:00pm at Aquinas Park in Mississauga. The day was also the hottest weekend of this year’s summer season. Despite the heat warning issued by the city, enthusiastic volunteers showed their commitment to Swami, in the spirit of service and love of the environment by reporting on time at the site along with members of their families.
Milliken Park Clean up
On April 21st, 2018, The Sathya Sai Centre of Toronto-York participated in the North Scarborough community clean up at Milliken Park. Alongside other members of the Walk for Values team, myriad community groups and families from the community; devotees had the valuable opportunity to demonstrate the Sathya Sai Centre’s values into action. The clean-up was rigorous and messy as all volunteers walked around the perimeter of the park collecting debris, litter and any other waste lying on the ground.
Blood Donation Drive
Tuesday April 17th, was a bitterly cold day, and there was ice on the streets and sidewalks as far as the eyes could see; however, the inclement weather did not dampen the loving spirit and undiluted generosity of Swami’s devotees of Region 1. Region 1 was given a window of time between 6 and 8pm by the Canadian Blood Service. Devotees drove in straight from work despite their hectic schedules, the harsh weather and poor driving conditions.
Sincerity
Perhaps, after all, in the great Pantheon of Virtues, the key is Sincerity.
“If you have no Shradda (Sincerity, earnestness), you cannot achieve anything, whatever other qualifications you may have,” Sathya Sai Baba said. “Only the earnest seeker can acquire knowledge of the Divine. However intelligent one may be, without earnestness he will achieve nothing. A man with earnestness can convert a small burning cinder into a huge bonfire.” “If [he] lacks Shraddha he will allow even a blazing fire to go out.”
Nation-Wide 108 hours continuous Gayatri Mantra Chanting
Monthly Sandwich Service Activity
Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre of Toronto East has been doing this Sandwich service activity for the past 22 years on the first Saturday of every month. It was originally started as a personal service activity by a small group of families in 1993 but became a Centre service activity since 1995. Since then, it has grown significantly both in participation and volume. We have about 15-20 families currently making about 400 sandwiches every month.
Annual SSE Christmas Clothing Drive
On November 26, 2017 the group 4 SSE students from Middlefield Sai Centre organized the annual Christmas clothing drive. The students took the needs of the community into consideration and chose the following two charities: The Salvation Army Gateway Men’s shelter and Jessies – The June Callwood Centre for Young Women.