Dear JCNC Members,

Jai Jinendra,

Wow, I wonder how fast good time flies, we are already in the last week of the year; a sensational year 2017 at JCNC. I would wish to recap and honestly share good as well as bad or so-called “Improvement needed” tasks/activities that I noticed in the last two years of my JCNC Presidency. Please allow me this one final act in the two phases, Part-I; I emailed here today and a follow-up Part-II in a couple days before the New Year.

Part-I

Let’s start out with a good note first, and I’m delighted to represent the round up executive summary of the major events that we’ve celebrated this year, which I'm confident, making all of us proud

But before I start, do you want to guess how many events we’ve conducted this year in 2017 at JCNC? Just a rough guess!!! Any guesses!!....Ok, here you go then.

Special Events 2017

1. Launched The US Presidents Volunteer Service Awards 2017 (such program launched first time ever at JCNC)
2. Supported a group of NextGen Jains to hold regular social/religious/educational meet-ups at Jain Bhawan, keeping a goal to bringing them back and re-engaging them in JCNC activities
3. Visit by LA Jain Sangh (45 people) Snatra Puja followed by lunch - June 25
4. Installed Surveillance Camera downstairs and webcasting high grade camera upstairs
5. 5th Diksha Anniversary of Sadhvi Shri Sanghamitraji in the auspicious presence of Aacharya Shri Chandanaji - July 14 to July 16 (very well received, 400 for Bhavana, 800 each day for morning lunches)
6. Performed auspicious Chhatra (छत्र) Ceremony to all Gabara Pratimaji (first ever in 17 years, tremendous participation)
7. Performed auspicious Sihansan (सिंहासन) Ceremony to all Gabara Dhatu Pratimaji (first ever in 17 years)
8. 150^th Janma Jayanti celebration of the Yug Purush Shrimad Rajchandra in the auspicious presence of Shri Dipakbhai Bhimani– 3 day event - Aug 11 to Aug 13 – about 900 meals served
9. Musical Bhavna by visiting singer Shri Kummar Chatterjee - Aug 11 – well-praised event, about 300 people attended
10. Reviving of JCNC Library
11. Talk and workshop by Dr. Bimal Chhajer - Sep 29, Friday and Sep 30, Saturday: (100+ participates attended, video recorded)
12. Ghabhara Pratimaji and Bhomati Pratimaji Restoration Project (auspicious, first time in 17 years of JCNC history, we restored Pratimajis, it’s BOD approved work, please do visit temple darshan and take dharma laabh)

Religious Events 2017

1. Cha Gau Yatra Celebration Sunday, March 12 (tremendous response, food-carnival, a replica of Palitana/Art Exhibits, Shatrunjay Bhav Yatra)
2. Shashwati Ayambil Oli & Parna April 3 to April 12 (record breaking participation)
3. Shrimad Rajchandra Dehotsarg Din Celebration, April 15
4. Bhagwan Mahavir Janma Kalyanak Celebration, April 16 (3000+ meals lunch/dinner, 300+ performers, 200+ volunteers, 22 entrees, invited govt officials)
5. Pu. Prabhushriji Dehatsarg Din, Samadhi Maran, May 5 & 6
6. Shibir with Saman Shrutaprajnaji (2 Days event) - May 13 & 14 (huge success, an event of yoga, meditations, pravachana, and much more)
7. Shri Vardhaman Shakrastav Mantra-Abhishek Upstairs by Shri Nayanbhai followed by lunch - May 13 (Unique religious events, hugely participated)
8. Navkar Mantra Anushthan by Shri Harshbhai Chhadva - May 28 (another unique religious event celebrated at JCNC)
9. Chomasi Chaudash (whole day program with 100 Ekasana) - July 8
10. Digamber tradition sponsored Shanti Vidhan followed by Swamivatsalya lunch - July 22 (widely participated)
11. Samniji Bhavit Pragyaji and Samniji Ratna Pragyaji lectures and one Day Preksha Dhyan - July  24 to July 30
12. 17th JCNC Anniversary and Dwaja Ceremony under the guidance of vidhikar Shri Narendra Bhai Nanduji - Aug 4  to Aug 7
13. Paryushan Mahaparva - Aug 18 to Aug 25 - Sapana Ceremony, Samvatsari Pratikraman, Tapasvi Parna (12K meals/ekasana served, 5k people visited during 18-day program, 2800 Samvatsari Pratikraman, 120+ big tapasyas, 80 attahis, 140+ volunteers)
14. Das Lakshan Dharma Mahaparva - Aug 26 to Sep 4 (meals served all weekend, 5 days total, about 3000 lunches, 6 big tapasyas)
15. JCNC Tapasvi Bahuman and Kshamapana - Sep 9  (350 people attended)
16. Lecture Series by Shri Tarlaben Doshi – Sep 1 5 to Sep 17
17. Lecture Series by Samaniji Dr.Suyashnidhiji and Samaniji Shri Sudhannidhiji - Sep 18 to Sep 24
18. Shashwati Ayambil Oli  - September 27  to October 5 (65 Olis, average 80 daily participants, Sat/Sun 100 Ayambils)
19. Shri Atmasiddhi Shashtra’-Rachana Din  and Shri Prabhushriji’s Janma Jayanti Celebration - Oct 8, Sunday (125 people attended)
20. Actual Mahavir Nirvan Kalyanak Day, Nirvan Laadu (morning), Deepawali, Snatra Puja (morning) Pakhi Pratikraman, Chopda Puja** (evening), Samadhi Maran 36 Mala, Musical Evening Aarti, Diwali Jaap - Oct 19, Thursday
21. Mahavir Nirvan Kalyanak Celebration - Oct 21, Saturday (served 900 meals)
22. Kartik Purnima- 150 Janam Jayanti Shrimad Rajchandra - Nov 4, Saturday
23. Posh Dashmi 2017 Celebration – Dec 8 to Dec 17 (various events, - Shri Parshwanath Bhavna, Shri Shankheshwar Bhav Yatra, 108 Parshwanath Pujan, Shri Ashtapad Bhav Yatra, and Antaray Karma Puja led by Shri Nayan Bhai Sanghavi)
24. Adhar Abhishek Ceremony and resuming regular pakshal/pujan of Ghabhara Pratimaji – Dec 23 (about 120+ people participated)
25. Various Weekly Swadhayay (Thursday, Saturday, Sunday)
26. Various regular daily, weekly and monthly programs

 Educational Events 2017

1. Shala Sleepover on March 25/26 (yearly Shala event)
2. Shala Graduation Day Celebration - June 4 (Shala Yearly Day – Last Day)
3. Shala Programs 2017-18 (restructured Junior and Senior Shala concept on the theme of ‘safety first’ and 'optimum use of premises', about 415+ children in Jain Shala, started serving only children focused light snacks, about 60+ Volunteers, including Teachers/Co-Teachers, Kitchen team, 5 Coordinators)
• First Day of 2017-18 Junior Shala (Toddler, Pre-K, KG, Grade 1, Grade 2) - Sep 10 – about 230+ Junior Jain Shala Registration
• First Day of 2017-18 Senior Shala (Grade 3 to High School) - Sep 17 – about 185+ Senior Jain Shala Registration
• Introduced SAT Prep Classes (30+ Registrations)
• Hindi Shala 95+ Registrations and Gujarati Shala 35+ Registrations
4. Shala Day Camp – Saturday, Dec 2 ( 65+ Registration)

 Cultural Events 2017

1. Talk on Managing Stress and Psychosomatic Disorders through Meditation by Villy Doctor's meditation Friday, March 31
2. Community Health Fair and Blood Drive, April 22 (great response, seva project)
3. Launched JCNC Cricket League - May 6 to June 11 (started last year and further took it to the next level, about 100+ players participations)
4. JCNC Picnic at Central Park/Lake Elizabeth Park, Fremont - June 18 (1100 people attended)
5. JCNC Yearly Raas Garba – Sep 9 (about 250 people participated)
6. Monthly Sr Mixer Programs moved to Saturday from October 2017 onwards
7. Annual Day Celebration  - Nov 18, consolidated vegan day, compassion day, volunteer’s reorganization day, anumodana day (about 125 people participated)
8. Weekly Preksha Dhyan and Yoga every Sunday
9. Chopda Puja** /Diwali Puja – Oct 19 (first time on a pilot basis, 35+ families participated)                  

Various Other EC Activities 2017 - Highlights

• PR – Membership support, about 250+ emails to community, Interfaith prayers and activities, EC minutes, Election support
• Facility - Several facility improvement projects to keep the facility up to date, maintenance and support
• Technology - Several technology projects, maintenance, and support
• Finance - How many checks we deposited?  How much cash counted? And how many checks issued for expenses? (You guess!), Plus Jivdaya and ‘Promo Veggie’ Activities support, support to BOD led expansion/enhancement projects
• Individual Events – How many times we let the premises used for non-jcnc events?
• We served most of the weekend events with swamivatsalya lunch

At JCNC, it’s a new beginning - by all means, these last couple years are the record-breaking and the trend-setting years, so many programs and tremendous participation. We equally beat the financial expectations and surpassed all past records, including last year revenue of $900K, now we are fast reaching the new goal of $950K. That reminds, if you have not sent your pledge/donation, please do send it to JCNC Finance team.

We had no success without your participation and that too with your ‘tann, mann, dhan’, we indeed sincerely thank you and khub khub anumodana for your continued support, participation, donations, and volunteering.

We also thank all our officials, BOD, EC members, and volunteers for their contributions throughout the year. Here are the EC 2017 team, who has done an excellent job with all the above events and activities: Mahasukh Vora, Rakesh Jain, Kiran Shah, Hetan Shah, Sharad Shah, Biren Shah, Umesh Sagar, Harshad Shah, Parthiv Shah, Sunil G. Mehta, Pranay Shah, Niraj Gandhi , Sachin Bhayani, Jayesh Khona , Ajay Shah, Rajesh Shah. Also, Pujari Prashantbhai and Custodian Balvirbhai. Khub Khub Anumodana.

Once more, on behalf of JCNC Board, Executive Committee and all Volunteers I would like to offer my affectionate greetings and pray to Tirthankara Shri Adinathji, Shri Mahavir Swamiji, and Shri Parshvanathji that all of us be the source of progress and the power of positive energy all around. Have a happy and spiritually uplifted holiday season.

Please stay tuned for Part II, where I’ll be also sharing areas of ‘Improvement needed’ in the next email in a couple days.

Happy Holidays!

Micchami Dukkadam!
Yogesh Bapna
JCNC President 2016-17
Jain Center of Northern California
president@jcnc.org