Magic happens when three things, cause, team and the show, come together. This is how the chief guest Manju Seth described the Leherien Fundraiser at Regis college on 19th September’2015.
The “cause” was to raise funds for “Abhaalmaya” a loving home for the underprivileged kids in India. Today “Abhaalmaya” supported by Leherein, takes care of kids by not only providing them basic necessities, but also by offering them the opportunity to enhance their lives by instilling the value of education. We have all been blessed with the love and support of caring parents that has shaped our lives. But not everyone is as fortunate. With this realization, the big-hearted crowd of almost 250 came together on this beautiful afternoon to lend their support to a great cause.
The “team” Leherein is a group of 13 passionate women, who have come together with a mission to bring joy in the lives of kids in “Abhaalmaya”. The vision is to help the kids achieve their dreams. The primary source of fundraising is through providing a ‘dabba’ (a Hindi word for lunch/dinner box) four times a year. To supplement this income, the team came together to organize a fundraiser which exemplified a perfect team spirit. Months of planning to the minutest details, long hours of discussion on phone calls, and endless emails all came together to make this event a success from start to finish. The team members received great support from their husbands and children, who were a big help in ensuring that the event went smoothly. The event started with delicious snacks (cooked by the Leherein team) and tea/coffee served at the “Social Hour”. The crowd loved this unusual treat and were very generous with their compliments.
The “show” was a Hindi play Sach Aur Sach Ke Siwa, based on Agatha Christie’s famous novel Witness for Prosecution. Avinash Padhye, translated the original play into Hindi and did an outstanding job as the director. The set, the sound, the breathtaking acting all weaved together to form a perfect tapestry that mesmerized the audience for two hours. When the play ended, a thunderous applause echoed through the auditorium. What made this play special for everyone was the fact that the actors, director, and the whole team were local, and very much one among us. “I totally believe that even Bollywood could not do a better job than what I saw by this team today”, “What talent!! Beats bollywood. New Englanders are always full of surprises!!!” – few of the manycompliments received by this exceptionally talented team. The key performers in the play were Avinash Padhye, Aditi Taylor, Abhi Kanade, Ashish Panke, Suhas Marathe, Santosh Late, Hirkani Padhye, Anagha Singh and Deven Atnoor
The evening ended with a vote of thanks, short speeches by the chief guest Manju Seth and Upendra Mishra, and felicitation of the cast members by the Leherein team. That evening the crowd left the auditorium with an enthralling experience of watching a play put together by the local talent, and the satisfaction of extending their support to make a difference in the lives of kids who are not as blessed as we are.
The late A.P.J. Kalam said “You have to dream before your dreams come true”. The Leherein team has dared to dream and they realize that it takes dedication, determination, and hard work to make it a reality.
If you missed the event and would like to donate to the cause, please visit: http://www.ournel.org/index.htm. Leherein team promises that your support will not go unnoticed.
