January 6, 2015 · 4:58 pm

Concord Academy Students Donate Blankets to Homeless Mothers and Children

As one of two advisors to Concord Academy Students in Action (CASA), a student club for community service, I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Dorchester, Massachusetts to deliver 37 fleece blankets made by the students for the Brookview House, a community setting serving homeless mothers and children.

Concord Academy Students in Action (CASA) members with fleece blankets for homeless mothers and children.

Concord Academy Students in Action (CASA) members with fleece blankets for homeless mothers and children.

Since September of 2012, CASA has been busy with organizing bake sales, fundraising for the critically ill and more recently making fleece blankets. CASA students met for approximately an hour a week to execute these initiatives with energy and enthusiasm.

Donating Fleece Blankets to Brookview House in Dorchester, MA.

Donating Fleece Blankets to Brookview House in Dorchester, MA.

Concord Academy Students in Action (CASA) members with fleece blankets for homeless mothers and children.

It was a team effort, with my colleague Susan Flink, an experienced biology teacher who led Concord Academy students to quickly mobilize themselves to rally for a good cause. The all round feel good factor for these student-projects raises morale and builds character. Stay tuned to learn about more CASA projects in 2013. Happy Holidays everyone!

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Community Development, Education, Homelessness, Leadership, Philanthropy, Poverty, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering

January 1, 2015 · 7:18 pm

Concord Academy Students Helping Local Senior Citizens

Today I had the pleasure of being one of 5 chaperones on a 5-hour service trip where approximately 40 Concord Academy students volunteered to assist senior citizens in Concord, MA in association with the Council on Aging. Chaperones and students split up into small groups around various sites in the town.

Concord Academy Students in Action in Concord, MA

Concord Academy Students in Action in Concord, MA

Tasks included yard work, moving furniture and weather stripping. The seniors appreciated the students’ assistance, especially since it created savings for many who are on fixed incomes and have seen real estate costs rise significantly. The students benefited from the service in that it was a way for them to learn more about their neighborhood and interact with the elderly.

Grateful senior Concord resident with Concord Academy students.

Grateful senior Concord resident with Concord Academy students.

Concord Academy students have created a buzz around the town through this outreach and will continue to do so with other service activities planned for the remainder of the academic year. Overall, one cannot help feel proud and happy for the students who are learning well, by doing good.

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Filed under Community Development, Education, Leadership, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering

December 31, 2014 · 4:30 pm

Sharing Community Squash Lessons for Latin America and Caribbean Region

I was recently invited to Havana, Cuba where I was privileged and honored to give a presentation as a panelist in the International Workshop on Physical Activity and Quality of Life at CubaMotricidad. Since there were multiple seminars being held simultaneously, our session opened with a presentation on the United Nations Population Fund’s global and regional approach to an aging population and implications of quality of life for the elderly.

United Nations Special Envoy for Sport for Development and Peace addressing delegates in Havana, Cuba.

United Nations Special Envoy for Sport for Development and Peace addressing delegates in Havana, Cuba.

One may wonder how does a program like Kidsquash that focuses on children between the ages of 8 to 17 apply to the elderly and quality of life? The core of my presentation was to share lessons from the Kidsquash model to improve access to physical activity and promote well-being with an eye for global replication that could be adapted to meet the population needs of a host country.

My fellow panelists presented physical activity, community-based interventions in Finland, Cuba, Venezuela and Colombia across age a variety of age levels.  While there were differences for each countries’ experience, the common theme that emerged from our session and the conference at large, was that planned, coordinated and targeted physical activity, community interventions can play a key role in making a better world.  In the case of Kidsquash and other programs balancing issues of social entrepreneurship, volunteerism and sustainability are critical.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Conferences, Education, Leadership, Networking, Private Public Partnerships, Professional Development, Recreation, Squash, Stakeholder Engagement

December 30, 2014 · 4:15 pm

Concord Academy Students Conduct Thanksgiving Appeal for Critically Ill

This post is driven by my role as a co-advisor to the Concord Academy Students in Action (CASA), a student club for community service. Since the beginning of last month, CASA has been engaged in a Thanksgiving appeal called “Pie in the Sky” to benefit the critically ill and homebound in the Boston area.

Pie_in_the_Sky

Thus far students and parents at Concord Academy have made purchases from Community Servings, the non-profit, food and nutrition program providing services throughout Massachusetts to individuals and families living with critical and chronic illnesses. Caroline Stotz, a sophomore at the Academy has enabled online purchases thereby making the appeal open to all who feel moved to contribute to this cause.

CASA is still selling pies for Pie in the Sky through the first few weeks of November. You can purchase pies here, then pick up your pie before Thanksgiving to make a personal delivery to a sick neighbor or have the pie delivered, on your behalf, to a Community Servings client. Feel free to spread the word!

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Filed under Community Development, Education, Leadership, Philanthropy, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering

December 29, 2014 · 7:35 pm

Khelshala Competing at the Indian Squash Nationals

It was very encouraging to get an update from Coach Bajwa about Khelshala kids eager to compete in the Indian Squash Nationals in Mumbai. According to Coach Bajwa, the kids have been preparing for the last 3 weeks and have begun to realize what they need to do take their training to the next level.

Furthermore, Coach Bajwa adds that the kids are committed to competing at Nationals. They recently arrived in Mumbai with much excitement and readiness to compete.  For many of them it will be the first time competing at a national level, but they are not deterred.

More than squash, this will be an educational experience for the kids in terms of exposure to a new city, interacting with a different group of people as well as self-discovery in unfamiliar territory. I am pleased to know that these kids are making strides in their journey with Khelshala.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Education, Leadership, Squash, Youth Development

December 28, 2014 · 6:01 pm

Backing the Squash Bid for 2020 Olympics

In honor of the 2012 World Squash Day, we celebrated by kicking off the 2012-13 Kidsquash season with 15 juniors just beginning their foray into the great game of squash. Lead Coach Luke Hammond, a former coach at SquashBusters along with Octavio Chiesa, a former Kidsquash participant who has returned to volunteer coach this season both brought their energy and enthusiasm to give the beginners a good start.

Kidsquash Backing the 2020 Bid

Kidsquash Backing the 2020 Bid

Later in the evening, I returned to Concord Academy to screen the documentary film called “Keep Eye on Ball: The Hashim Khan Story.” It was an educational experience for Concord Academy students to learn about the legacy of the Khan dynasty as well as the historical origins of squash and how the sport emerged. At Concord Academy, my predecessor was Enamullah Khan, an accomplished squash coach and member of the Khan dynasty.

Keep_Eye_On_the_Ball

Even though the numbers of participants for both events were low they did play a part in shaping the bigger picture.  Today over 20,000 squash players mobilized across the world to back the bid for inclusion of squash into the 2020 Olympics. Hopefully the International Olympic Committee will respond favorably to this campaign to rightfully include a truly global sport.

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Filed under Coaching, Community Development, Education, Leadership, Olympic, Paralympic, Squash, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

December 28, 2014 · 2:16 am

Witnessing Sport and Development Unfold Before One’s Eyes

My travels in India would not be complete without paying a visit to Khelshala, a sport-based youth development program founded and led by Coach Bajwa, my former college squash coach, colleague and dear friend. Khelshala celebrated its third year anniversary on August 13th, 2012 as covered by the Indian Express with the opening of a new tennis program on a 4-acre facility in Village Majra, a rural area near Chandigarh.

Khelshala Tennis program in Village Majra

Khelshala Tennis program in Village Majra

This was my 3rd visit in 4 years to Chandigarh and can say with confidence I have seen first-hand how Coach Bajwa has transformed Khelshala and the community through sport. The photo above was taken during a visit to the Majra facility where 100 village children from low-income families were learning tennis for the first time. Furthermore, it has been 3 years since the squash, academics and yoga activities have been taking place at Village Attawa and the results are beginning to show.

Khelshala is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and a registered charity that relies on the goodwill of donors, volunteers and friends. As a founding member of Khelshala, I am proud to be associated with the organization and plan to continue to assist remotely until a future trip materializes. Overall, my 3-day visit to Khelshala was short on time, but long on inspiration.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Education, International Development, Leadership, Philanthropy, Planning, Squash, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

December 26, 2014 · 3:52 pm

Bridging East and West Through Sport

During my travels in India, I made time to visit Kodaikanal International School (KIS), my former boarding school in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. I attended Kodai, approximately 20 years ago and enjoyed my time as a student living and learning in such a vibrant community.  Below is a recent photo taken at the renovated squash courts.

 KIS_Squash Courts

Even though I technically did not graduate from Kodai, I was grateful for the KIS Alumni Association for featuring my professional squash coaching activities in the United States and India in their latest newsletter. This can be read here at KISAA Newsletter 2012 Issue 1.

Upon returning to visit, I found the school had maintained its character of providing a global education with an Indian flavor. I met with former teachers, staff and alumni who helped me reflect upon the intricacies of personal and professional growth. Overall, my visit to Kodai was a pleasant confluence of the past and present.

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Filed under Coaching, Community Development, Education, Leadership, Networking, Professional Development, Squash, Stakeholder Engagement, Youth Development

December 18, 2014 · 11:10 pm

Exploring Frontiers of Social Enterprise in Bangalore

I am writing from Bangalore, India where I recently visited Sneha Care Home, a “home away from home” for HIV infected children. Sneha Care Home is a part of the Sneha Charitable Trust, an initiative by the Brothers and Priests of the Roman Catholic Order of St. Camillus who are collectively known as Camillians. Today’s International Red Cross originates from the work of Camillians.

The purpose of the visit was to listen, observe and exchange ideas between Sneha Care Home staff, volunteers and students. Over the course of four days, I was fortunate to gain valuable classroom teaching experience with children between the ages of 6 to 13; observe extracurricular activities such as student clubs; introduce new physical education elements emphasizing dynamic stretching and exchange ideas with Brothers, Priests and staff.

Sneha Care Home orphans Playing Sports

Sneha Care Home orphans Playing Sports

At the end of my stay, I met with Father Mathew Perumpil, Director of the Sneha Care Home who just returned from a visit to the USA. He spoke at length of macro and micro issues and we brainstormed together about ways in which Sneha Care Home may have a wider impact in addressing HIV AIDS at the state, national and international levels. Overall, it was a very inspiring visit and again challenged me to find ways of connecting the dots with my experiences in the field of social enterprise.

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Filed under Coaching, Education, HIV AIDS, International Development, Leadership, Networking, Philanthropy, Psycho-Social Support, Rehabilitation, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering

December 14, 2014 · 8:18 pm

Rest and Recreation in “God’s Own Country”

Ever since I was a young boy, I have visited Kerala, India to spend time with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Thanks to their generosity and kindness I have fond memories of my time in Kerala. I was able to create new memories with them during my recent travels to what is referred to “God’s Own Country.”

Soon after arriving in Kerala, my cousins organized a get together that involved cruising on a house-boat in the backwaters of Alleppey. Since it was low season, there were not many crowds, making it a leisurely cruise along with an authentic Kerala lunch.

Western Ghats.

Western Ghats.

Thereafter, we traveled to the Peermade area, where we went off-roading in a four-wheel drive jeep. Despite severely rocky roads, we climbed to about 4.500 feet with spectacular views of the Western Ghats, a mountain range that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with my Kerala roots and highly recommend others to visit who are traveling to India.

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Filed under Education, Leisure, Networking, Recreation, Uncategorized