Udupi: VSO celebrates Daan Utsav...India’s festival of giving
Bellevision Media Network
Udupi, Oct 11, 2014: Volunteer Services Organization’s (VSO) week-long celebration of Daan Utsav, India’s festival of giving concluded on Wednesday October 8 with a valedictory function.
Manipal University pro-chancellor Dr H Vinod Bhat was the chief guest, lauded the efforts of the students and faculty members and encouraged them to continue the good work.
VSO, one of the social arms of Manipal University organized projects like Meal for a Smile, Splash-N-Dash, Shishu Vatika, Daan Sahyog, Health for All and Plant to Protect, during the week as the students experienced the Joy of giving. With Daan Utsav 2014, VSO involved 210 volunteers from various constituent colleges of Manipal University spread happiness to about 4000 people in and around Manipal.
Every single project was thought out well and executed to the joy of everyone. ‘It was a novel idea, which brought a great deal of satisfaction to everyone,’ said VSO co-ordinator Dr Anup Naha.
To begin with, about 1,000 slum dwellers of Saralabettu, Manipal and Biddengudde, Udupi were served lunch. A group of 30 volunteers under the supervision of Welcomg Group Graduate School of Hotel Administration prepared lunch (pulav, mix vegetable, semiya payasam, one fruit) and distributed.
Next was, Splash-N-Dash. It was an idea borrowed from universities abroad. It is a student friendly project to raise funds through washing cars. A group of 40 VSO volunteers washed cars to raise donations for various projects during Daan Utsav 2014. More than 130 cars were washed by volunteers on October 2 and 3 and around 800 people including volunteers, car owners and their family members experienced the joy of giving through this project.
The Shishu Vatika project had a team of 50 VSO volunteers who over a period of two weeks displayed their creative skills and renovated a children’s park near End Point, Manipal. There were ample challenges faced by the volunteers, but the hurdles only taught them more and they touched more than a thousand lives around the park. The park was inaugurated by children and volunteers on October 6 by cutting a cake. The children named the park as ‘VSO Park’ through a span of 9 days, from September 25 to October 7.
A collection drive called Daan Sahyog was held from September 25 to October 7, where the residents of Manipal contributed old used/unused clothing, shoes, stationary etc. All items were collected from door to door and from specific points. These were then separated and distributed to about 900 people residing in slums at Nittur, Perampally, Biddengudde and Saralabettu. Stationary items like pen, pencil, books were distributed among children of primary schools in Manipal in Udupi.
In the Health for All project, a comprehensive health check-up for security guards of Manipal campus and slum people was held. About 160 patients benefitted from this camp which involved departments like Medicine, Community Medicine, pediatric, gynecology, skin, optometry and dental. Also, free medicines were provided to the patients by VSO during this camp.
In the Plant to Protect about 230 saplings were distributed to the residents of Manipal to celebrate the joy of giving.