Sikh Volunteers recognised

City of Casey councillors Rex Flannery,Sam Aziz, mayor Amanda Stapledon, Wayne Smith and Damien Rosario accepted gifts from members of Sikh Volunteers of Australia at the recent council meeting.

To share in the celebration of the Sikh religion founder’s birthday, Guru Nanak, four members from the Sikh Volunteers of Australia attended the City of Casey council meeting on Tuesday, 20 November.

“This is significant because the Sikh community are a wonderful group of people and are obviously a part of the Casey community,” Cr Damien Rosario said.

“Their spirit is very much about giving back to the community. It’s actually one of their basic principles to earn an honest living, to meditate with God and to share among the poor and give to the less fortunate.”

At the meeting, the four Sikh volunteer representatives presented the councillors with some sweets.

Mayor Amanda Stapledon said to the volunteers, “It’s almost ironic that you are presenting to us, when it is us that are so grateful to you for all of the great work that you do in our community.

“They really are such a strong part of our community and volunteer on a regular basis and do so many wonderful things.”

The State Liberals have pledged to contribute $155,000 to a premier sporting and cultural event of the Australian Sikh community which Cranbourne will host in 2019.

The funding package would enable the Sikh community in Victoria to hold the Games primarily at the multi-sport complex at Casey Fields in Cranbourne, close to where so many of the Indian community call home.

It is expected that over 3000 athletes will participate in the games, in 14 different sports with 90,000 spectators cheering them on.