Chennaiites Gear Up For The Joy Of Giving Week (oct 2-8) 2011

Sept. 9, 2011 - PRLog -- Started in the year 2009, this festival is always held in the week of Gandhi Jayanti. The dates for this year are Oct 2nd to Oct 8th.Highlighting the fact that giving is inherent in Tamil culture, CIOSA, a network of NGOs in Tamil Nadu is facilitating what could perhaps be the largest event in the Joy of Giving Week, enabling every citizen to be a part of the Joy of Giving Week - Aram Seiyu Virumbu.


In a press conference at Courtyard by Marriott, Prasanna, from CIOSA said that this event will see each day dedicated to a specific cause with NGOs and individuals planning events around that cause. Citizens can either participate in the events already planned or do an activity around that theme on their own, endorsing their support towards the cause.


Courtyard by Marriott is also playing a part in giving something back to the society. The team has an enthusiastic Spirit to Serve attitude that extends to their community, where their service experience and generosity of spirit enrich the lives of many. Through their association with an organization called Marriott Home, the hotel team helps deliver vital services to the children of people affected by leprosy in the Home. Apart from this, the Courtyard by Marriott team takes out a day in every month, where the associates visit the Home and spend time with the children by having food with them, playing and singing and dancing with them.


Signature Dish ( Oct 02nd- Oct 08th 2011): The hotel will have one signature dish of the Executive Chef and for the full week of the Joy of Giving activities, the proceeds from that signature dish will go towards the welfare of the NGOs and Marriott Home.


Karan Berry, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott said, “Every associate in our hotel is passionately involved in our Spirit to Serve initiatives. We believe that giving an hour of our time, a helping hand, or a shoulder to lean on demonstrates unconditional love and respect.  When the people we serve gain the feeling of acceptance in society, we feel we have won some small victory for humanity.”


Kicking off on Oct 2nd, Yaadum oore yavarum Kelir, meaning, Every place is mine, everyone is my family. We are reaching out to the migrant population in the city through this initiative. Help desks will be set up at railway stations to invite people coming in from other parts of the country. Volunteers will also provide information on local transport bus routes to different parts of the city, help them alight the same where required etc. You can participate through a gesture of giving to someone new to the city like, security staff, construction labourers ,people who work in restaurants, beauty parlours etc.

Oct 3rd , Arogya Vazhvu, or healthy living will see a massive campaign, Doctors with a heart where the much loved Hamam brand will invite doctors across the state to volunteer one day towards conducting a medical camp, aiming to get atleast 1200 volunteers. The campaign hopes to conduct medical camps across the state during the Joy of Giving week, partnering with TNVHA and other NGOs. Saulina Arnold, from TNVHA said, “if you are a doctor and want to give back during the Joy of Giving Week, look out for this campaign soon and sign up on www.hamaminfo.in

Oct 4th –   Sandror Pothrudal – Recognising unsung heros – On this day, reach out to those in your life who engage beyond the call of duty- and appreciate their contributions through a gesture of giving. It could be the building watchman, the maid who works in your home, a teacher who has taught you…As part of this, the Rotary club of Temple city has instituted an award for grassroot workers of NGOs and other ground level workers such as from security services, carpenters, plumbers etc. 20 of them will be given an award and felicitated with a nice dinner with their families, said Mr Hemachandran, Secretary of the club.

Oct 5th – Aiyam ittu un – Share a meal - enhancing the auspiciousness of Ayudha pooja,  mass annadanams are scheduled across the city. What is unique though is that this year, autorickshaw drivers and children from orphanages will come forward and feed hundreds of people. Selvaraj, head of the Senkottai autorickshaw stand, in Thiruvanmiyur said, that about 20 auto drivers will come together, cook and serve a meal to people in the locality- we will specially invite the road sweepers and cleaners who tire through the day to keep our area clean. Vivekanandan, a child from Surabi trust said, we are used to people coming in and giving us food, clothes and toys- we want to show the world that we can give too. We have decided to cook ourselves at our homes and invite people from the community around for a nice meal. I speak on behalf of 30 orphanages who will be doing this activity.

Oct 6th  Kalvi daanam, Gift of education. On this day, initiate the education of someone less privileged. Shanmugam, founder of Brother Siga Animation centre said that they have identified 30 centres across Chennai, where writers, journalists and educationists are invited to initiate education for children from the local community. It is our appeal to all those who can read and write to, on this day, reach out and educate someone who may not have otherwise had the facility to do so.

Oct 7th   Shrama danaam , through a  Cleanliness Drive-  Ekam, an NGO working in the area of health in partnership with Domex  will campaign to solicit volunteers for a massive cleaning drive of govt hospitals across 21 district hospitals of Tamilnadu. Domex has been specially chosen to clean hospitals because it has sodium hypochlorite. WHO recommends using sodium hypochlorite as the best disinfectant to curtail the outbreak of any epidemic. Dr Sai, founder of Ekam said, this will be the first time that govt hospitals will be cleaned up with such a high level of public participation. In keeping of creating a clean and healthy environment, Disha Sports academy will plant over 1500 saplings with the help of volunteers in 4 locations in Chennai

Oct 8th Kadamai Unaridul, Take responsibility, Children from a village Ondikuppam, in Thiruvallur district decided to reach out to one of the poorest families in their village. They have raised Rs 2500 and  will be giving a goat to the family in the village. They will also be helping an, orphan Prabhakaran from Arunvoyel by giving him a uniform, school bag and notebooks. In Puduchatiram village – for the first time ever, children will facilitate the gram sabha on the 2nd, focusing on the rights and duties of children. In addition, children from the village will participate in a cleanliness campaign- garbage segregation in the village school and tree planting activities are being planned.


If you want to know how you can be part of the Joy of Giving week and participate in Aram Seiyu Virumbu, then write to info@joyofgivingweek.org or call 9282339070.