Amusement, laughter, goodwill and friendship were all part of a fun-filled day as a group of elders from the community decided to take a day off under the Sun, visiting a number of places of interest around Auckland.
Organised by the Sukhmani Charitable Trust, the Group, comprising men and women ‘who have been there and done that’ called it a ‘Day for themselves,’ on October 5, in the spirit of the ‘The International Day of Older Persons,’ observed under a UN Declaration on October 1 as an annual event.
The assembly of the members and guests of the Trust at the Blockhouse Bay based Armanasco House, believed to be a symbol of strength and grandeour, was appropriate.
The group included younger members of the society and children.
As the members of the group greeted each other, Arjeet Baweja briefed them on the Disability Benefit given by the Government to senior residents.
Buddhist Temple
Their first stop was the ‘Fo Guang Shan’ Buddhist Temple located in East Tamaki.
“We were awestruck by the beauty of the palatial design and architecture of the Temple. The visit to this Temple reaffirmed the belief in seniors and all volunteers. We were especially inspired by the four mottoes expounded by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, namely, ‘Giving Others Confidence,’ ‘Giving Others Joy,’ ‘Giving Others Convenience’ and ‘Giving Others Hope.’ It was a rewarding experience,” Captain R Ajit, Coordinator of the Group said.
Botanical Garden
Their next stop was the Botanical Garden in the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa, where the elders divided into groups and decided to explore the various sections of the area, which was full of trees and flowers.
“We enjoyed the sunny weather and were soaked in the colours of the spring bloom in the Garden. The Potter’s Children’s Garden and the African Plants Park were our unanimous choice as the most beautiful for this season. We enjoyed every moment of our outdoor visit, which included a General Knowledge quiz conducted by Subhash Rikhi and the famous Indian game of ‘Antakshari.’
With reporting by Captain Ajit Ramanathan (Email: ajit70@gmail.com)
Photo :
The Group at the Buddhist Temple in East Tamaki
Time to relax at Botanical Gardens in Manurewa
