Baner, 30th December 2023: The Rotary Club of Pune (RCP) Baner orchestrated a touching and meaningful Christmas celebration, spreading joy to 380 specially-abled students at Bal Kalyan Sanstha (BKS) in Aundh, Pune. The festive program, named समाVESH, was a collaborative effort by Rotary Club of Pune Baner, Rotaract Club of Pune IIEBM, Rotaract Club of Pune Baner, Rotaract Club of Indira College, and Interact Club of Indus Pune. Eight international students from Rotary Youth Exchange, representing various countries, also participated in the heartwarming event.
The four-hour program, समाVESH, transformed the BKS premises into a lively Christmas carnival, filled with games, surprises, and festive joy for the specially-abled children. The event commenced at 11:00 am with a delightful surprise for the children – a cake from Santa Claus himself.
The carnival featured a variety of activities designed to engage and entertain the children. From a ring game to tattoo stamping, throwball from a clown’s mouth to breaking a tower of glasses, and the challenge of throwing ping pong balls into tumblers, each activity brought smiles and laughter to the faces of the participants.
Rotarian Prreeya Karria, the Youth Director of Rotary Club of Pune Baner, Co-director (District) Rotary Youth Exchange Avenue, and the program convenor, expressed the significance of the event. “This program is valuable because it underlines the Rotary values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” she said. The highlight of the carnival was the screening of the Hindi film “Chillar Party,” which the special audience enjoyed immensely. Prreeya emphasized that the event facilitated seamless interaction between privileged youth and disabled and specially-abled children.
The presence of key figures, including Rtn. Jigneash Karria, President of RCP Baner, Rtn. Unmesh Risbood, District Secretary, RID 3131, Rtn. Deepak Bodhni, District Director of ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE AVENUE, Rtn. Sanket Saraf, Co-Director District Youth Avenue, Rtr. Siddesh Gaikwad, DISTRICT ROTARACT REPRESENTATIVE, Presidents of participating Rotaract Clubs, more than 50 Rotaractors, international students, Aparna Panse, Director of Bal Kalyan Sanstha, and over 20 members of the Rotary Club of Pune Baner, added to the festive atmosphere.
The event concluded with lunch provided to all the children, fostering a sense of community and togetherness. समाVESH succeeded not only in spreading Christmas cheer but also in creating lasting memories of joy and inclusion for the specially-abled students.
