An Extraordinary Mother’s Day
This year, Mother’s Day was made even more special when Volunteering for Seniors (VFS) hosted its first annual Cultural Tour de Force at Medway High School in Medway, Massachusetts. The event was in honor of seniors, their families, caregivers, and the many volunteers who have come together to form the VFS community.
Through the storytelling, music, and movement of dance, the innovative choreography of Ruby, Kiranmai, and Jyoti took the audience on a cultural journey, bearing witness to ritual and folk dances from India, Egypt, Africa, Spain, Japan, and the United States. The 50-minute program delighted the audience with upbeat rhythms and captivating performances by a talented dance troupe of all ages. The auditorium was abuzz with magical lighting, and brilliant costumes were a display of texture and vibrant color as dancers enthusiastically dazzled with clever props and synchronized movement.
Emcees NIsha Sinha and Angelina Avedano began the program by welcoming Pratima and Ramakrishna Penumarthy, founders of Volunteering for Seniors, to the dais to say a few words about how this new nonprofit organization came to be and how one might get involved. As founder and CEO, Pratima’s passionate appeal and Ram’s steadfast commitment to VFS were an inspiration to all. The couple offered praise and gratitude to the many volunteers who have been part of the vision and mission of Volunteering for Seniors in its maiden year.
Honored Chief Guests, Robert (Bob) and Maryann Lancia, were in attendance. Both have a distinguished history of public service: Maryann worked as the State of Rhode Island Revenue Officer Special Investigator for over thirty-nine years before retiring, and ran as a Republican candidate for the Rhode Island House of Representatives in 2020. Bob served in the 16th District of Providence County in the House of Representatives from from 2015-2018. In addition, he is a former elementary school teacher and Navy Chaplain who provided spiritual care for service men and women stationed on the U.S.S. Normandy in the Adriatic Sea in 1993. Bob, who currently serves as a pastor, honored his wife, Maryann and all mothers, and delivered eloquent words about giving from the heart.
This was the theme of the afternoon, as many were honored who have selflessly provided support for Volunteering for Seniors: Board Members, Dr. Srivinas Sonti, Badarinadh Vissapragad, and Dr. Rohit Chandra. Volunteer coordinators Padmaja Kunapareddy and Pallavi Gudetti from New Hampshire were also invited to the stage to accept tokens of appreciation, as well as the entire Sharon Youth Team, Arpita Shah, and Surendar Maddadi from Massachusetts. Dr. Manju Seth and her daughter, Shaleen Sheth were also recognized for their commitment to others. Without the dedication of so many compassionate individuals, the work of Volunteering for Seniors would not be possible.
Sincere respect was also paid to organizers from various regions who were not in attendance: Swapna Kari from Pennsylvania, Marasri Yarborough from North Carolina, and Matthew Cioffi from Massachusetts.
The two hour program was accompanied by many vendors displaying goods and cultural dishes, and guests were invited to browse the tables before and after the show. The celebration concluded with all volunteers, dancers, and all participants posing for group photos after the closing credits and slide show crafted by Sraveo, the technical/production team for Cultural Tour de Force, led by Ramakrishna Penumarthy.
All those in attendance were encouraged to get involved, to donate time and/or resources to Volunteering for Seniors—for it is in giving from the heart that we find our deepest satisfaction.
Written by Angelina Avedano and photos by SRAVEO
