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#Boundless was all about celebrating how we continue to shatter barriers and flourish as an organization that empowers youth to become the unstoppable force of tomorrow. Through unity, our youth build bridges of compassion, defy boundaries, and sow seeds of lasting change. With 300+ attendees, we took an action-packed road trip across the country as we visited each branch to reminisce on their accomplishments from 2022. With fun trivia, shout-outs from our beneficiaries, and insightful interviews, #Boundless showcased how our VT Seva youth were profoundly selfless in the spirit of volunteerism. What makes our annual youth celebrations special is that they’re 100% driven by our dynamic youth leaders. The organizers, who poured their passions into making the event a reality, shared touching and insightful reflections. These individuals, the driving force behind the celebration, reminded us all that change starts from within, and it's the young hearts filled with passion that are lighting the way. Anya : Being part of the Boundless event was an amazing experience for me. I was able to work with an awesome team to put together an event that was watched by hundreds of people nationally. Also, it gave me a chance to connect with people from other branches and see what VT Seva is doing across the nation. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity and I would love to work on similar future events! Anusha : Being part of Boundless was a beautiful and incredible opportunity that increased my love for VT Seva. Not only did I improve my marketing skills and public speaking, but I got to work with amazing people. I’m forever grateful for this event and the friends that I have made. It was so incredible to see what different branches were doing and the inspiration it gave to everyone. This event was honestly a great experience all throughout! Oviya : I really enjoyed the time with the #Boundless team spent creating scripts, videos, flyers, and many more since I got to be a part of a team of extremely creative and truly boundless youth. Overall, it was a great experience that I will remember for a lifetime and I am so grateful to the entire team as well as everyone who joined the event for making this event such a great success. Samved : The #Boundless team helped me go beyond my limits. Everyone on the team pushed each other to give their best work whether it was videos, scripts, or flyers. I loved being a part of this team and it was so much fun doing this with the rest of the team. I was not confident in speaking and not great at time management and organization, but being part of this team and co-hosting this event improved these important life-long skills. This was an amazing opportunity and was truly the experience of a lifetime. Shreyas : The #Boundless experience was amazing for me as it allowed me to engage with an amazing group of people from many places and get to know them. I learned many new things by leading such a large event and I am proud to say that it was a success. I am also grateful that I have the opportunity to serve those who are in need through VT Seva and the Boundless event itself. As we know VT Seva's volunteers are motivated by the organization's pillars to serve communities near and far. VT Seva grows because of the incredible opportunities we have connecting with our local beneficiaries, to whom we extend our heartfelt gratitude. Take a look at what our beneficiaries have to say about us. Our celebration wasn't just about looking back but also looking forward. Students who participated in our summer internship program with Netra Vidyalaya and the Jeeyar Gurukuls shared their experiences, highlighting how these opportunities transformed them into proactive change makers. Please take a look at the videos about their initiatives and their internship experiences. I nitiatives By Youth: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS8h--2_tYv4n3xR5cOUObW0k_JPKMM4T Summer Interns Experience: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS8h--2_tYv7Lg3ueHDAl4sX9_0Ld-YRl #Boundless concluded with the culmination of the T-shirt Design Contest that invited youth across the country to design our next VT Seva t-shirts. Congratulations to the winning design and a huge thank you to everyone who participated! Design Won: Pre Event Blog: https://www.vtsworld.org/post/boundless-celebration-of-youth-s-accomplishments-2023 Event Recording: Thank You to all the branches that participated in our road trip: San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Dallas, Cary, Atlanta, North Jersey, New Jersey, Detroit, Chicago, Bay Area, Seattle Atlanta branch with the most participants won a book signed by VT Seva CEO Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami Ji. Together, let us remain committed to nurturing and supporting youth volunteerism, for they are the architects of a world where empathy, compassion, and unity reign supreme. The time to embrace the unstoppable force of youth volunteerism is now. We’ll see you next year. Your #Boundless Youth Team Pranuti Kalidindi | Oviya Jaisankar | Anya Gadkari | Anusha Jonnalagadda | Shreyas Bharath | Sreeja Bhuma | Samved Gazzala | Dhatri Jonnalagadda

VT Seva Innovation Academy Youth Club is established on Aug 23rd, 2023. It’s a historic day as Chandrayan 3 landed on South Pole of the moon today and our VT Seva youths have also made history by establishing a youth club in the private Highschool. This is our 6th VT Seva youth club in Atlanta. It wasn’t easy for our youths to establish a club in a private Highschool but their persistence, never giving up attitude, and strong desire to serve others did soft landing cheering all Atlanta youths!

Amongst many services that VT Seva Atlanta volunteers believe that Women Health is one of the key focus area. After all, ‘When a woman is healthy and happy, her family can rise up to meet its purpose’. Thus, VT Seva team collaborated with Telangana Team on Bathukamma event on Oct 21st and launched ‘Women Empowerment’ initiative to assist our young women for physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Both teams came forward and organized Cancer awareness workshops, Walkathons, Health clinics, etc for the well-being of Atlanta women! VT Seva booth had face painting and Henna done at the event. 45 volunteers helped the booth and helped present VT Seva to over 300 people attending the event! VT Seva also sold plants during the event to help education for disabled kids in India. Volunteers walked around selling plants and putting out word for VT Seva. Back at the booth plants were also being sold, face painting was offered as well, volunteers painted whatever the kids asked for. Not only was face painting offered, but also henna was offered for everyone. Making beautiful and intricate designs was an attention grabber. The proceeds were also donated for a cause. In all this was an empowering event for VT Seva and the cause!

One of the most awaited annual events of VT SEVA Detroit, RAAS 2023 , is just around the corner. With the amazing turnout back in 2022, we are excited to host our 8th Annual VT Seva RAAS Event, benefiting visually challenged children in 2023. RAAS is not just a Fundraising event, but it is also our Annual Celebration event, culminating a great year of various fundraising activities and volunteering service to the community. 𝗩𝗧 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰, 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝘁𝘀, 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝗳𝘂𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Please mark your calendar 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 4𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮3 𝗮𝘁 𝟮𝟱𝟯𝟯𝟱 𝗪 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱, 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱, 𝗠𝗜 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟱:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠 𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀. All proceeds from the event will go towards education, food, and clothing for visually challenged children of Nethra Vidyalaya & Tribal School children. Join us in making this event a successful one “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” – Nelson Mandela As the quote from Nelson Mandela describes, it is human nature to be resilient in tough times. The epitome of resilience is demonstrated by the visually challenged children of Nethra Vidyalaya & the underprivileged Tribal area school children every day through their persistence, perseverance & patience. They go through unimaginable situations in their lives, yet these gifted & talented kids come out of it with great success. "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill As this wonderful quote says, we could make a life by giving a helping hand to these children with our generous donations. Last year, in 2022 , with generous donations from everyone, we not only met our target but we surpassed it. In 2023, VT Seva Detroit’s aspiration for this year is to support the education of 250 Tribal & Visually Challenged students. We are committed to raising the appropriate funds for the 250 children through our Annual Fund Raiser program of RAAS 2023 Be a part of this noble cause to bring smiles to the faces of over 1500 schoolchildren . You can make a big difference in their lives. Guests gracing the event: Will be updated once we get the commitment. Please join us and support this noble cause!! Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at 25335 W Nine Mile Road, Southfield, MI from 5:00 PM onwards.

In an inspiring turn of events, today, on October 25th, Lalitha Killaka, a visually challenged athlete from a remote tribal area in India, emerged victorious at the Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou, China. She secured the silver medal in the fiercely competitive 1500-meter running event, bringing honor to her nation and earning a standing ovation from the world. Lalitha's incredible achievement is a testament to her sheer grit, determination, and hard work, and her journey to this historic moment is nothing short of remarkable. SRC: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1971146 In Lalitha's own words - "Before the race, I was confident that I would win the medal for my Nethra Vidyalaya and my country. This thought, along with memories of the encouragement throughout my journey from Nethra Vidyalaya, was on my mind while running the race. I owe the accomplishment to Swamiji's Daya (the compassion of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji) and the support from you." From right to left ( Right - Lalitha's coach Mr. Rahul Balakrishna, Middle - Lalitha, Left Lalitha's guide runner Mr. Tabres Khan) Hailing from a tribal area where poverty was a constant companion, Lalitha and her family faced hardships that most can only imagine. They could not afford to have a meal of rice every day and relied on a single daily meal. Her parents K Borja and Chitamma farmers who have 4 children from Gummalakshmipuram Vizianagaram are daily wage workers in the fields, working tirelessly to make ends meet. Adding to their woes, their daughter Lalitha was born visually challenged. Lalitha commenced her educational journey at Netra Vidyalaya, Varija, in the fourth grade in 2013 and continued her studies there until her tenth-grade graduation in 2020. Currently, she is in her second year of studies at Netra Vidyalaya pursuing a degree. When she started her journey with school she was a very innocent girl who was not at all willing to stay back at school but now she has become a very strong aspirant lady with teaching and training of all her teachers. Amidst these challenging circumstances, Nethra Vidyalaya, the School and college for the Visually Challenged, founded by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, played a pivotal role in Lalitha's life. This institution not only provided her with education but also offered boarding, meals, and the training required to hone her athletic skills from a young age. With the support of Nethra Vidyalaya, Lalitha was given a chance to dream, and she seized this opportunity with unshakable resolve. Lalitha exhibited an extraordinary blend of determination, passion, and talent. She excelled not only in her academics but also on the athletics field. Running became her passion, and she poured her heart and soul into it. Years of relentless training bore fruit as she began securing victories at the district, state, and national levels. With each win, her dreams grew bigger and brighter. Nethra Vidyalaya and VT Seva founder Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji expressed happiness and announced a prize money of 300,000 for Ms. Killaka Lalitha and 50,000 Indian rupees for her guide runner Mr. Tabres Khan. He said, 'A person is not disabled solely because of being physically handicapped. A person is considered disabled only if they lack mental resilience and the ability to overcome challenges. This fact was demonstrated by our Nethra Vidyalaya students in cricket a few months ago in England and is now exemplified by Lalitha in her running performance at the Asian Para Games held in China. We strongly believe that these accomplishments will inspire many youngsters to achieve greatness in their lives. Credit for these achievements goes to the supporters and donors from all over the world who are the fuel behind the fire for the excellence of Nethra Vidyalaya students.' The peak of her journey came when she earned the opportunity to represent India at the Asian Para Games. Lalitha's story transcended borders as she participated in the trials in Morocco, competing against some of the world's best para-athletes. Her unwavering dedication and training paid off as she secured her spot on the Indian team. Today, in Hangzhou, China, Lalitha's journey reached its zenith as she crossed the finish line in the 1500-meter running event, clinching the silver medal. Her victory was not only a personal triumph but also a victory for all those who supported her along the way. India, with its largest-ever contingent of 303 athletes, stands united in celebrating Lalitha's remarkable achievement. This victory is not only for India, with its 1.4 billion population but for the entire world. Her story is a shining example of what can be accomplished with determination, perseverance, and an unbreakable spirit. Lalitha Killaka, the girl who once struggled to have a meal each day, has now become an inspiration to all, proving that it is possible to rise above adversity and reach for the stars. Lalitha inspired many students and they started participating in various district, state level sports competitions. Lalitha and others were trained in New Delhi IBSA in 2017. Lalitha gets trained in various places and participates at different levels in all prestigious events. Para Sports Association Andhrapradesh selected Lalitha for training and has provided training for the past 2 years in Banglore. VT Seva has been a proud supporter of Nethra Vidyalaya since 2009. We thank each and every volunteer and donor of VT Seva for your support in making this possible. Your support is our strength to serve!

Over the third quarter of 2023 (July to September) VT Seva volunteers have made an astounding impact. Through participating in 13 projects overall, they have helped our community and beyond. Each of these projects were unique and allowed volunteers to help a noble cause. These projects ranged from cleaning up a road to hosting a volleyball and throwball tournament, to help their community and underprivileged and tribal students in India in many different ways. Below are the projects we have done from July to September this quarter: Youth Board Projects: Third Annual Walkathon - July 16 Tribute to Bharath - August 15 #Boundless Event - August 19 Tennis Tournament - August 27 Essential Workers Appreciation - September 4 Adopt a Road Clean-up - September 10 Car Wash - September 16 Detroit Projects: Food Gatherers - July 8 Packing Hygiene Kits - July 22 Fleece and Thank You - August 5 Clean Love Project - August 26 Volleyball and Throwball Tournament - September 16 Novi Fire Department Appreciation Lunch - September 30 Please click here for the video of all projects in 3rd quarter 7/8/2023 - Food Gatherers Volunteers sorted 810 pounds of food into good and bad produce during this event. They then packed this food into boxes and cleaned up the facility. This food was distributed to 150 organizations that supply different food pantries at Food Gatherers in Ann Arbor, MI. Youth Volunteers: Jishnu Kandalam, Aditi Jethri Kompally, Akshith Aswanth, Kushal Durga, Deekshitha Ravu, Shraya Ved, and Akshitha Narla Adult Volunteers: Vandana Durga, Vanitha Gopalan, Neha Ved, Ranga Rao Ravu, and Srinivas Narla For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid031QzdWj4M99inMZKCUViFPJ9GYmNwSvvfMPnTvxT4NknvWpeLgdPbuDSF3D33NV2el 7/16/2023 - Walkathon This annual walkathon supported Angels of Hope, a family cancer foundation that supports Michigan families affected by cancer, and it lasted 30 days, from June 16 to July 16, 2023. With 213 participants, our 43 teams walked for more than 7700 hours and raised more than $3600. For more info, please visit our Blog https://www.vtsworld.org/post/vt-seva-detroit-youth-board-third-annual-walkathon?fbclid=IwAR2U_mMltkNXZZKslsMilkfdQJmdVZJjYc_LFN_EfT_o1XWupOpssnosPy8 7/22/2023 - Packing Hygiene Kits On July 22nd, our volunteers helped pack dental care kits at Say Detroit and Detroit Goodfellows for Detroit school children. We packed more than 4,000 dental care kits in just 3 hours, with another 4,000 clear plastic bags also prepped by our volunteers. Say Detroit has even published an article mentioning VT Seva Detroit to appreciate our volunteers' efforts during this event. Youth Volunteers: Hajanthan, Varshan, Akshitha, Saisha, Shruthi, Kirupali, and Sanjith Adult Volunteers: Suresh Rajan, Komathy Muhinthan, Srinivas Narla, Srivatsan Santhanam, Durga Nalini, Vijayakumar, Sathyanathan Vilvanathan, and Vanitha Gopalan For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid035LowXNZ2SC9qy71gqmaFSNjFrJDumsxq47YVCd1T1MEBPcYhtRWC6VQz23YUYkwFl 8/5/2023 - Fleece and Thank You Detroit Volunteers helped make over 150 blankets for children in Michigan hospitals who are facing long-term stays. The goal of Fleece and Thank You is to provide every child in Michigan hospitals with a warm blanket and a message from its maker. VT Seva helped by doing their part in this goal. Youth Volunteers: Shravya Ved, Kirupali Sathyanathan, Shreya Srivatsan, Saisha Srivatsan, Eashan Daram, Niran Daram, Amogh Mavatoor, Rishabh Mavatoor, Sanjith Vijayakumar, and Shruthi Adduri Adult Volunteers: Suresh Rajan, Neha Ved, Vijayakumar, Manisha Daram, Sathyanathan Vilvanathan, and Vanitha Gopalan For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0t9238xHyBLshwmAafaZT2p1t9dUfJ9Z9gXjzfAitb9YrV6xXYtKFom6aPDWsvR8Nl 8/15/2023 - Tribute to Bharath For this project, 28 Detroit youths and 19 Maryland youths came together to create 28 posters to highlight the beauty of the different states of our motherland, India. Through these posters, people got to know about the diversity, history, and uniqueness of each of the different states of India to celebrate Independence Day on August 15. For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0311nYNH7hYbAzPnQ2veb227nBKYCk6T8AuDhrPH9iFuXuGurvk1KaReuC9ciTRkD6l 8/19/2023 - #Boundless Event "Detroit Youth team member Oviya JaiSankar represented the celebration of the amazing #Boundless national youth led event, where VT Seva youth from across different states joined in celebrating 2022 VT Seva achievements.” For more info, please visit our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0mNzkwyynewZkEnD8F8yxGPUSYY9mSwinWrrmMqDPtCzQywK2zsd26SpoaLNFWbQrl 8/26/2023 - Clean Love Project For this event, VT Seva Detroit partnered with the Clean Love Project, an organization whose mission is to help women feel clean, loved, and empowered by distributing Clean Love Hygiene kits. To help support this mission, VT Seva volunteers worked tirelessly to assemble 1,500 hygiene kits to distribute to Detroit school children. Through their efforts, 1,500 lives were positively impacted. Youth Volunteers: Shruthi Adduri, Saisha Srivatsan, Shreya Srivatsan, Krithi Alugoti, Sai Sahasra Namudiri, Rishabh Mavatoor, Varun Brijesh, and Sanjith Vijayakumar Adult Volunteers: Jayashree Brijesh, Durga Nalini, Nirmala Srivatsan, Raghunath Namudiri, Vijayakumar, Kalpana Vijayakumar, and Vanitha Gopalan For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02ZXhrisynVwCWB6Ztr7cmbeRggbqWY5RzZoykiWePAsFwsT766MEYnbg4saPZFMpol 8/27/2023 - Tennis Tournament This was the first-ever tennis tournament organized by the Troy VT Seva youth volunteers. The funds from this tournament can support the education of almost 6 kids. The Troy High School clubs came together for this astounding event. For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/videos/244934405123221/ 9/4/2023 - Essential Workers Appreciation To celebrate Labor Day this year, our youth volunteers showed their appreciation to essential workers and helped bring a smile to many of their faces. The beautiful handwritten cards that they made were given to firefighters, police, nurses, trash crew, postal workers, school janitors, custodians, school lunch ladies, grocery store workers, drivers, and vegetable vendors. Youth Volunteers: Aanya J, Abhiram, Adithi, Chinmay, Hajanthan, Hiba, Hrudya, Lalitaditya, Nidhi, Oviya, Pelon, Prajwal, Rachana, Rakshan, Rishabh, Sai Sriram, Sai Sahasra, Sathvik, Shraya V, Shreya S, Shruthi, Sneha A, Swara R, and Varshan For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid031mFYiwW12yfruPFaSprovsR7NiavTfCWJkDLrLJDAUMYWyLo4bhUWL7pCfLtDBcel 9/10/2023 - Adopt a Road Clean Up VT Seva Detroit once again returned to clean up the stretch of road between 8 Mile and Haggerty, a road adopted by VT Seva. Our volunteers picked up trash, tire scraps, bottles, etc. along the way. Youth Volunteers: Hrudya Kishore, Jishnu Kandalam, Kaustubh Dingari, Rishi Adduri, Sai Sahasra Namuduri, Sai Sri Ram Karnati, Shraya Ved, Shreya Shetty, and Shruthi Adduri Adult Volunteers: Nalini Sangita, Neha Ved, Pavani Namuduri, Shreya Srivatsan, Srinathbabu Karnati, Srivardhan Dingari, Vanitha Gopalan, Vijay Kandalam, and Srivatsan For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02VB8eC8YyzVA779M4gD6fhngygY45bkLedMyuvzpYP6LYue1HRyPtEkTZ4247Nopul 9/16/2023 - Volleyball and Throwball Tournament This was an amazing close-out to the last sporting event held by VT Seva Detroit for 2023. These funds were enough to support the education of 7 visually challenged children. It was a great tournament for everyone involved! For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0AimKMmevdpmyy65xkKyMiZ1Lkh84gRhuVDc1MSpF6fkGoz4g93Wf8x6Z3CEcFUZgl 9/16/2023 - Car Wash VT Seva Detroit held its first-ever car wash to help support Nethra Vidyalaya students and Tribal students. They persuaded complete strangers to drop by and get their cars washed for a good cause. Together, we raised money to support almost two students. Youth Volunteers: Hajanthan, Varshan, Jishnu, Lalitaditya, Aditya, Shraya, Hrudya, Amogh, Rishi C, and Shruthi Adult Volunteers: Komathy, Muhinthan, Chintan, and Nalini For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0jgNwQWB6f3UuaEo4omNT3Uy48V1E8y3zSjgVuwsGqvna5EpRUCwkD53bjhPvw7Tml 9/30/2023 - Novi Fire Department Appreciation Lunch During this event, VT Seva Detroit organized an Appreciation Lunch for the Novi Fire Department. Following the lunch, they got a tour of the station from the firefighters onsite: Captain Seog, Firefighter Sentz, Firefighter Marshall, Firefighter Farahani, Firefighter Gora, Firefighter O’Neill, and Firefighter Lis. This tour explained the daily life of a firefighter and consisted of many tools, medical equipment, detectors, and other essential components of the 3 Firetrucks and the SUV. Along with that, we witnessed personally how one of the teams handled an emergency while on the tour. In response to the incoming 911 call, one of the Units left in a matter of seconds to help someone who had been in an accident inside the city limits. The EMT, firetruck, and captain all left as soon as they received the call. It showed how hard they work to keep our community safe. Youth Volunteers: Sai Karnati, Amogh Mavatoor, Rishabh Mavatoor, Varshini Barla, Hrudya Kishore, Nikhil Aerabati, Kaustabh Dingari, Hajanthan Muhinthan, Adithi Esarla, Yathi Debbata, Nimish Debbata, Nidhi Rao, Neha Rao, and Rakshan Samyanthan Adult Volunteers: Srinath Karnati, Sudheer Koppu, Srivardhan Dingari, Komathy Muhinthan, Maithreyi Rao, Manjunath Rao, Pushpa Esarla, Samyanthan T, Suresh Rajan, and Vanitha Gopalan For more info, please visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0szyi26MB81RgiMm49RfuBrsNK2kdon6NyJomMLohNiHS5XsDmevJdUVducAo8sFXl Blog Compiled by: Shreya Shetty Video Compiled by: Anirvin Ramanan Blog Published by: Nandini Cheemalamarri

Many of us celebrate Labor Day with parties, parades, picnics, and cookouts. But it's important to remember who and what we are celebrating for; the American workers and labor force. “American labor has raised the nation’s standard of living and contributed to the greatest production the world has ever known… the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership—the American worker.” – DOL.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) 40 of VT Seva Atlanta youths appreciated the labor of Essential Workers on this year's Labor Day 2023. The volunteers expressed that they felt humbled to talk to the workers and appreciated their efforts in providing for the public. All youths presented a ‘Thank You’ card and gifted Chocolates or flowers to appreciate the hard work of essential workers like mail delivery men, garbage collectors, janitorial staff, hospital staff, etc. Giving is the Art of Living!

Well, well!!! What an AMAZING way to close out on the last scheduled Sports event of 2023!! You never know, we still have a couple more months to go and we may come up with a brand-new idea to host yet another sport ☺️ VT Seva Detroit’s 10th Volleyball & Throwball Tournament milestone was successfully concluded by raising funds to support the education of 7 visually challenged children !! The Orangutans gobbled up the Jellyfish in the Girl's Volleyball Ball Finals beating hard-playing AMS & SPARC Firecrackers in the Semis!! Loved the energy all the players showcased. I must say, such amusing Team names for sure. Way to go, Girls!!! Detroit Champs did not want to give away their rolling Trophy after all 😉 They made a strong comeback against Achievers to win the Throwball final game. Michigan Mavericks did put up a strong fight against both teams. In the Men's Volleyball, we have a new Champion, TUNE SQAUD !! They loggerheaded against last year's finalist, the Spikers . The final game was a real cliffhanger, going all the way to the deciding 3rd set. All in all, it turned out to be a sun-filled , fun-filled , and action-packed day of Volleyball and throwball games!! A warm heartfelt thanks to all the Players, Referees, Line Referees, Coaches, and Parents who signed up & supported this great cause through this tournament. It would not have been possible to execute such a huge tournament consisting of 15 teams, and over 120 players in 3 different categories without the HARDWORKING volunteers: Youth volunteers: Sai Karnati, Sneha, Sai Sahasra, Abishristi, Kirupali, Sanjana Datla, Kavya Karnati, Gaurang & Sridha. Adult volunteers: Srinath, Sudheer, Ram, Sirisha, Anand, Chandrasekhar, Raghunathan, Pavani, Architha, Sathya, Mahesh, Vanitha & Suresh Game leads: Ram and Sirisha did a great job in managing the teams, rules, and games on the event day! The Game Scores were as follows: Girls’ Volleyball Tournament Women’s Throwball Tournament Men’s Volleyball Tournament 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝘂𝗺 𝗮𝘁 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.705543311609176&type=3 Please visit our Facebook Post to Like, Share and Subscribe. https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0AimKMmevdpmyy65xkKyMiZ1Lkh84gRhuVDc1MSpF6fkGoz4g93Wf8x6Z3CEcFUZgl Blog written by: Suresh Rajan Blog published by: Nandini Cheemalamarri

VT Seva Detroit Appreciation lunch for NOVI Police Department on MAY 8th 2021 at 11.30 am A hero is a special person who faces extraordinary circumstances & acts with courage, honor & self-sacrifice. A police officer is a true superhero that does not necessarily wear a cape but wears a uniform! They protect us and continue to make it a better place for all of us, despite having to see the darkest aspects every day. If not for people like them, our cities wouldn’t have been a safer place to live, work, and have fun. During this National Police Week 2021. May 9-15, 2021.VT Seva Detroit would like to host an Appreciation lunch for NOVI Police Department on May 8th, 2021 at 11.30 am. Due to the Covid pandemic, we are restricted to go a few volunteers only. Hence, we have decided to go as a small group of 5 to 6 Adults and provide some lunch and personally thank them for their selfless services.

VT Seva Detroit organized the much-awaited Novi Fire Department appreciation lunch followed by a tour explaining – a day in the life of a firefighter, on Sept 30th, 2023, between 11:00 and 2:00 PM. We were greeted warmly by the team of Fire Fighters including Captain Seog. VT Seva Youth and Adult Volunteers introduced themselves. They gave a brief background of all the Projects, Social and Community Services, and the various partnerships that VT Seva has across metro Detroit and Internationally. They were so happy to hear about our 2023 achievements, appreciated our team’s efforts, and were so glad to host us at their facility. Despite their busy and often critical schedule, the Novi Fire Department graciously hosted us. The team on site consisted of: · Captain Seog · Firefighter Sentz · Firefighter Marshall · Firefighter Farahani · Firefighter Gora · Firefighter O’Neill · Firefighter Lis We helped arrange all the food that we had brought for the appreciation lunch inside the lunch area. We also presented a framed poster as a token of appreciation from VT Seva Detroit, thanking the fire Department for their selfless service and sacrifice. The team then gathered to begin the tour. We split into 3 different groups for the Firefighters team to swap the teams in 3 different sections of the facility. Old Betsie and EMT, the Tower and the Suppression truck along with the Captain’s Specialized SUV were on display for our walk-through. The team lead firefighters explained and showcased many tools, medical equipment, detectors, and other essential components of the 3 Trucks and the SUV. Some of the tools were AMAZING to watch – Jaws of Life, Jaw Saw, Sliders, Chalk Woods, Gas Leak detectors, face masks, Oil Dry, oxygen cylinders, and many more. We were simply awestruck with the amount of equipment and tools that they had on the trucks. Some of the facts were mind-boggling: The fire trucks can hold 500 to 600 gallons of water and an additional couple hundred gallons of foam to suppress oil spills. The oxygen cylinders have the capacity to provide 45 mins of oxygen that the firefighters carry as backpacks weighing close to 50lbs The fire trucks cost $1.8 M The tower ladder can extend to 100 ft and can easily reach over 6 stories of building Over 7000 fire hydrants are there within the City of Novi limits The tablet inside the Firetruck has the entire City’s plan, and every building’s blueprint plan loaded to be handy for the firemen The firefighters have the AED, Heat Signature Thermal Detectors, Infrared and Thermal Cameras, and Foregas – an advanced system for detecting different kinds of gas, mobile cascade systems, etc. at their disposal. While on the tour we had the firsthand experience of how one of the teams responded to an emergency. Within a few seconds, one of the Units was off to attend to someone who met with an accident within the city limit responding to the 911 call that came in. The captain along with the EMT and Firetruck were off as soon as they got the call. We realized how much responsibility the Fire Department has in order to execute the critical service to our community to keep all of us safe. HATS OFF to them!!! These are our volunteers who signed up for the Novi Fire Department Tour & Appreciation. Adults: Srinath Karnati, Sudheer Koppu, Srivardhan Dingari, Komathy Muhinthan, Maithreyi Rao, Manjunath Rao, Pushpa Esarla, Samyanthan T, Suresh Rajan, Vanitha Gopalan Youth Sai Karnati, Amogh Mavatoor, Rishabh Mavatoor, Varshini Barla, Hrudya Kishore, Nikhil Aerabati, Kaustubh Dingari, Hajanthan Muhinthan, Varshan Muhinthan, Adithi Esarla, Yathi Debbata, Nimish Debbata, Nidhi Rao, Neha Rao, Rakshan Samyanthan We all thanked once again for the amazing service that the department provides on a daily basis and concluded the tour. It was a very inspirational and enlightening day for us.

In honor of India's 76th Independence Day, the VT Seva Seattle Chapter launched a campaign to raise awareness and spotlight India's unsung heroes - ordinary individuals who consistently create a positive impact. Seattle's youth chose an inspiring unsung hero, conducted research, and skillfully crafted informative infographics to share their remarkable story and promote awareness about this inspirational figure. Here are the inspirational, informative and beautiful infographics The Forest Man of India by Sathkrith Segu The First Woman of Indian Origin in Space by Laya Dhilip A Social Worker And Activist by Smaran Malkampalli A Children's Civil Rights Activist by Ujwala Mattupalli Inspiring Change Through Technology, Literature and Compassion by Hasmitha Uppalapati A Service Woman of India by Akshaya Alluri Indian Social Activist by Vibha Veluturi From Selling Oranges to Fruits of Wisdom by Pranav Sandadi Inspiring Change through Seva, Shiksha and Sadhana by Akshara Kolli He who appears to eradicate the hardships of the suffering humanity by Yashita Tanwar In a world where everyday heroes often go unnoticed, the VT Seva Seattle Chapter's campaign serves as a reminder that their stories deserve to be heard, celebrated, and shared. Let us all draw inspiration from these unsung heroes and work towards making the world a better place, one positive influence at a time.

September 9th, 2023, Panelists: Srihari, Aditi, Pranuthi, and Yashi Conducted by: VTSEVA Seattle Picking a college and/or a Major has been one of the biggest challenges most youth face in high school. It is also one of the most stressful times with so many things on their minds such as college applications, college essays, lining up recommendations, following up with college counselors, college visits, and much more. To demystify some of this and help our youth, VTSEVA Seattle recently conducted a seminar on the college application process. True to the spirit of our organization which is led by youth, the seminar was also led by four VTSEVA alumni who are now studying at the University of Washington. To represent a variety of experiences, we picked alumni who are at different stages of their Bachelors program to lead the seminar. Our speakers at the seminar were: Pranuthi - a junior at UW pursuing dual majors in Business and Pre-med, Aditi and Srihari - both Sophomore in Computer Science, and Yashi - a freshman preparing for an Informatics program. All of them brought different perspectives to the seminar presentation on different topics such as personal essays as part of the application process, campus life at UW, what to look for when deciding on a specific college, how to deeply understand what your strengths are, and how to harness that to decide on your bachelor's program. Finally, our youth alumni also had a strong message to parents on how to guide but not impose on their kids' college journey. The seminar was attended by around 30 kids and parents in person and a similar audience on a Zoom call. Here are some of the top questions that were addressed by our UW youth. How to pick a college to attend if you have multiple options? Factors to consider when choosing college: Tuition (in-state vs. out-of-state), Class size, Support for multidisciplinary studies (if doing double majors), Weather (this can take a toll if you are in the wrong city - consider the weather for fall/winter/spring), Urban or college town feel, match for your program, ease of joining clubs at the college, ease of re-applying to your majors if you don’t get it at time of admissions, Capped majors. What to focus on in a personal essay? Your essay should answer the question: What is my personal brand? You should focus on telling a story connecting what you have done to why that is important to you and how that contributed to who you are. You need to be authentic and it is always a good idea to connect the essay with the majors you plan to take - a subtle way is much better. Limited focused activities vs. many activities Spend time with one or two extra-curriculars that you are passionate about rather than spreading yourself thin with many activities. Colleges are looking for activities where you have gone beyond just the periphery and have either made a meaningful contribution or had significant learning. Are internships required for admissions? Depends. If you have an idea on your own, it is even more fulfilling and colleges love to see you execute on your own projects. For some, tying their projects with internships at startups is a great way to get exposure and refine their ideas. In some cases, college summer activities (like doing a summer camp at one of the UC schools) are as good as an internship as long as they align with your interests. Has doing the Running Start program helped your application? The Running Start program allows high school kids to take college-level courses at local community colleges in 11th and 12th grade. Community colleges offer a similar environment as universities (Canvas for example), a similar curriculum structure, many electives for kids to choose from and explore, and savings in college tuition as the state pays for the two years at community college through this program. Most universities view Running Start on similar lines as AP and IB. How can parents support kids in the application process? Give enough space for kids in the personal essay authoring process, try not to jam their schedules with too many activities, find one or two activities which they are passionate about and encourage kids to go deep on those, find colleges which offer the best match for the program your kids are interested in, and research talking to other parents, alumni, and college counselors (first choice might not be the right choice). Resources ​Section Links Notes College Admissions (top 3 public universities) ​ Admissions – Apply to the University of Washington Home | Admissions | Western Washington University (wwu.edu) Admissions | Washington State University (wsu.edu) UW has 3 campuses - Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell. All have different applications. UW and WSU are the only ones offering Med School. Running Start Resources Running Start @ Bellevue College Home | Edmonds College Cascadia College Take college courses in 11th and 12th grade from community colleges - Tuition is paid by state. Public colleges takes most of these credits towards College Bachelor Program. Scholarships Scholarships.com Bold.org External scholarships are a great way to save money in college. There are plenty of websites available which has the lists compiled based on your criteria / demographic. Others College Admissions Calculator Although 100% is not accurate, this tool is great way to enter your students stats and see what colleges are target, reach, safety etc. Great way to build your college list.

77th Independence Day Flag March After working together to make pins to sell at the independence day event, members of VT Seva Atlanta gathered at Gas South Arena and put out a word for both VT Seva and for raising funds for disabled education in India. Before setting up the booth, members participated in the flag march. Members held up the flag to show their pride in India and its independence. After the flag march, members set up the booth and offered face painting, the flag badges, and tulsi plants. This also advertised for our Subha event coming up in October. Around 50 youths and adults participated in this event. They split into groups. 3 groups walked around the event center to advertise Vt Seva and make sales. While the 3 groups were doing this, 2 groups were at the booth. One group made sales and another handled face painting and henna. By advertising VT Seva also gained new members as well as making sales. During the event, youths came up with new ways to do advertising, and innovative strategies. These strategies worked and raised more funds. Adding sweets and walking around talking to people about helping the cause were some of the most effective ways to raise funds. Swapping out badges for tulsi plants after a while also caught people's eyes. Directing people to the stall helped as they would get face paintings or henna. Badge and Flag Making Event In commemoration of Bharat’s 77th Independence Day, VT SEVA Atlanta youth participated in a badge-making event. All of the students collaborated on creating 3 different Indian flag-themed badges. Although each flag took a lot of teamwork to create, all the students felt it was worth it in the end! The students expressed how this was a creative way to honor Bharath. Over 100 different flags were created in such a short amount of time! The team received much applause from those who purchased the badges during the Independence Day parade on August 15th, 2023. The student created 3 unique designs that each represent the Indian flag as shown below. Infographic Social Media Posts VT Seva Atlanta youths celebrated 77𝒕𝒉 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒚 by sharing informational posters about Past, Present, & Future of Bharath! This project allowed the students to learn about India’s deep-rooted history and the inspirational leaders behind it. All of the posters were very creative in their own way while explaining the significance of each topic. The importance of encouraging this activity was very prominent, it allows the youths to be proud of their culture and understand the trials and tribulations a person can have to reach success. Collectively over 30 infographics were submitted by all the youths!

Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.” – Heather French Henry On June 1st, 2023, the VT SEVA Atlanta Team embarked on a transformative journey with the launch of Summer Camp 2023. This initiative is rooted in three fundamental objectives: Engaging Education, Youth Empowerment, Supporting the Visually Challenged: We are dedicated to raising funds for the Visually Challenged children of Nethra Vidyalaya in India, extending our commitment to a noble cause. In the Laurel Heights Summer Camp, our dedicated youth volunteers undertook the responsibility of teaching online Elementary classes encompassing Math and ELA, as well as Fitness classes covering Taekwondo and Dance. These classes were designed to cater to the Special Needs children of the Laurel Heights Hospital who sought treatment during the summer months. Our young volunteers not only excelled in their roles but also played a pivotal part in uplifting the spirits of these children, infusing positivity into their lives, and facilitating their learning journeys during the healing process. In the VT SEVA Summer Camp for Atlanta's children, our youth volunteers continued to shine, receiving accolades from numerous parents who expressed their admiration for the camp's unique offerings. Many pledged to spread the word about this exceptional experience and eagerly anticipated enrolling their children in the 2024 VT SEVA summer camp. Here are some of the camp's remarkable highlights: >> Over 150 enthusiastic students enrolled in the summer camp. Atlanta's vibrant youth community took charge of teaching a >> diverse array of Elementary Classes, spanning Chess, Art, Robotics, Math, ELA, Dance, and Taekwondo. >> For those seeking more advanced learning opportunities, we offered classes in Web Design, App Building, Advanced Robotics, Advanced Art, Advanced Dance, Python programming, and Business Entrepreneurship. >> More than 50 passionate youths embraced the role of tutors, honing their skills in effective communication and lesson delivery. The camp successfully raised over $18,000 in support of blind and visually challenged children.

In a stunning display of grit, determination, and unmatched talent, the Indian Women’s Cricket Team for the Blind emerged victorious at the IBSA World Games, securing the coveted Gold medal. This remarkable feat not only celebrates their exceptional sporting abilities but also shines a light on the power of inclusivity and the impact of organizations that support them. Hailing from diverse backgrounds and regions, the Indian women who competed in the IBSA World Games showcased their exceptional cricketing skills, defying all odds. What makes this victory even more inspiring is the fact that three players representing India hail from the Nethra Vidyalaya school and colleges. These players have not only exemplified their prowess on the field but have also demonstrated the value of quality education and sports training. Behind this triumphant journey lies the unwavering support of VT Seva to Nethra Vidyalaya School and Colleges, an organization that has played a pivotal role in nurturing these players' educational pursuits and sporting aspirations. VT Seva's commitment to empowering these women through education and sports has undeniably been a driving force behind their success. A significant part of this incredible journey can be attributed to the vision of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, the visionary founder of Nethra Vidyalaya and VT Seva. His foresight and dedication to creating an inclusive environment for differently-abled individuals have been instrumental in shaping the lives of these cricketing champions. Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji's vision goes beyond just sports; it encompasses the holistic development of individuals who are often overlooked, emphasizing education, skill-building, and self-confidence. He closely followed their progress and He announced a reward of 1 lakh Indian rupees each for the three players who are the students of Nethra Vidyalaya, He also announced a reward of 2 lakh India rupees to other Indian team members. As we celebrate this remarkable victory, it's important to recognize and appreciate the collective effort that made it possible. Volunteers and donors who selflessly dedicated their time, resources, and expertise to support these women deserve heartfelt gratitude. Their contributions have not only helped in honing the players' talents but have also paved the way for a more inclusive and accepting society. The IBSA World Games are the largest high-level international event for athletes with visual impairments, with more than 1000 competitors from more than 70 nations. Games took place at the University of Birmingham, across the Edgbaston area and wider region from 18-27 August 2023. The triumph of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team for the Blind at the IBSA World Games is a testament to the potential that lies within every individual, regardless of their abilities. It underscores the importance of equal opportunities and the positive impact that educational and sports initiatives can have on shaping lives. In a resounding display of women power and the power of visually challenged, the Indian Women’s Cricket Team for the Blind secured an awe-inspiring victory at the IBSA World Games, emerging as undisputed champions. Their journey to the Gold medal was not just a feat of athletic prowess, but a testament to the indomitable spirit that defies limitations and breaks down barriers. The journey of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team for the Blind to their astounding victory at the IBSA World Games Gold was nothing short of a triumph against all odds. Throughout the tournament, they exhibited unparalleled dedication and a remarkable display of skill. Their journey began with a compelling eight-wicket victory over Australia. In a testament to their resilience and strategic prowess, they effectively restricted Australia to 59/6. This opening victory laid the foundation for what was to come — a demonstration of sheer determination and a remarkable ability to adapt to challenges. As the tournament unfolded, the Indian team's dominance became increasingly evident. Their match against England showcased their explosive batting prowess, as they amassed an impressive 268/2 in just 20 overs. This display of power not only secured them a staggering 185-run victory but also solidified their position as true contenders for the Gold. With an unyielding spirit and an unwavering focus, the Indian team went on to pummel Australia once again, this time by a remarkable 163-run margin. Their consistent performance showcased their relentless pursuit of excellence and their commitment to pushing their limits beyond conventional expectations. Against England in the subsequent match, the Indian team displayed their prowess yet again, emerging victorious by a substantial 153-run margin. The momentum they had built over the course of the tournament was a testament to their exceptional teamwork, skillful execution, and unshakeable determination. As the climactic moment arrived—the finals—the Indian Women’s Cricket Team for the Blind faced Austalia with their eyes on the Gold. Demonstrating their incredible batting and fielding prowess, they clinched a resounding nine-wicket victory, sealing their victory and etching their names in the annals of sporting history. This triumphant journey not only underscores the prowess of women in sports but also challenges the notion of limitations. The Indian team's feat celebrates the essence of women power and visually challenged, proving that determination, skill, and teamwork can overcome any obstacle. Their dominance, perseverance, and relentless pursuit of excellence serve as an inspiration to the world, a reminder that true champions are those who dare to break barriers and redefine what is possible. The victory of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team for the Blind is a story of empowerment, resilience, and the triumph of the human spirit—a story that will inspire generations to come.

What an incredible triumph for our blind cricketers representing India! Traveling to England and defeating both England and Australia is a testament to their unwavering determination and remarkable skills. Games are taking place from August 18 - 27, 2023 at the University of Birmingham, England. The IBSA World Games are the largest high-level international event for athletes with visual impairments, with over 1000 competitors from more than 70 nations. The Indian team beat Australia by 8 wickets in the first match, won the second match against England with 185 runs, and won the third match against Australia with 245 runs Our beloved Nethra Vidyalaya students are taking part in this wonderful victory A special shoutout to the inspiring trio of female students from Nethra Vidyalaya School who shone brightly on the field. Ravani's outstanding performance, with a splendid half-century while batting and a wicket while bowling, Sandhya & Ravani taking a wicket truly exemplifies their sheer talent and hard work. None of this would have been possible without the dedicated efforts of VT Seva volunteers and donors. Your unwavering support has paved the way for these athletes to achieve their dreams and make our nation proud. Let's celebrate this remarkable accomplishment and continue to empower these individuals to reach even greater heights! Celebrating the incredible success of our blind cricketers representing India, and there's even more to this heartwarming story! Recollecting the memory with joy - A group of 16 enthusiastic VT Seva volunteers - high school students from the US had an extraordinary opportunity as part of their summer internship in June - July 2023. They interacted, ran with, and provided a token of encouragement to the talented girl cricketers by gifting sports backpacks. Click here for the pictures from the internship trip. Such acts of kindness and solidarity truly make a wonderful memory by empowering these athletes who have brought glory to our nation and more importantly remind us of the responsibility we volunteers have to continue our support in their journey of achieving dreams. Let's continue to celebrate the spirit of achievement, collaboration, and support that binds us all together. Together, we are building a brighter future for these extraordinary individuals! VT Seva is Volunteering Together for Service

One day, Sridevi, the Chicago branch director of VT Seva, was at the local farmers market in Buffalo Grove. She saw two high school kids at a booth. She headed over there and saw that they were fundraising. They had chocolates out and were selling it for as much as people would pay for them. Needless to say, that’s when Sridevi had the brilliant idea to sign up VT Seva for a booth at the farmers market. She researched and emailed people until she finally got us a slot: Sunday, June 25 from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Now, all we needed were volunteers to man the booth and things to sell. Hence, Sruthi created a signup to bake, to help out at the booth, or do both. There were many whom had signed up for volunteering at the booth. We split the times up into slots, fearing it would be too tiring for the youths to handle. Sudheeshna, Veda, Sahithi, and Kiva stayed the whole time. Sruthi made a huge batch of cookie dough the day before this event and made enough dough for 100 cookies. On the day of event we found out home made goods weren’t allowed because of some precautions. Luckily, we brought plants, water bottles in iceboxes, store bought cookies, and brownie brittle to be received as a thank you gift for donating. Reshma also joined us. We experimented with hooks that could lead people to our booth. We started with “would you like to help our community?”. Then went on to “would you like to help local food pantries?”. Then, finalized our hook: “ would you like to know how we help our community? ” “Business was slow at first as many people didn’t want to carry around plants but they came back and purchased plants.” Some of our families even came out to support us. Reshma described how as the day progressed, “there were times when people we approached simply didn’t want to listen to what we had to say. At these moments, we would just laugh it off and move on. When people were interested, we all worked together to effectively explain the depth of our cause” Youth volunteers shared the QR code for VT Seva home page for people to learn more about VT Seva and donate. Sudheeshna developed her persuasive catch phrase, “A dollar goes a long way!”, which convinced many to donate. A reporter from Capital Gazette approached the youth volunteers and he was so inspired by VT Seva that he decided he would write an article about VT Seva and youth volunteers which would be published in the following weeks. All the youth volunteers were so grateful for the opportunity. Kiva reflected on the day, she felt: “ At the beginning I felt really shy but as the day went on I felt really confident going up to people and saying my lines .” Overall, all youth volunteers learned how to communicate with people better. When asked what Reshma learnt, she told: “ I learned that sometimes it takes patience and time before you can start achieving your purpose. " In terms of this event, volunteers had to continue to approach people even though most of them didn’t want to hear what we had to say. "However, this didn’t stop us and we continued to talk to more people, and eventually we created a lot of awareness about VT Seva, created enthusiasm about the activities we are doing, got some donations, and added new volunteers, which was such a great result” Blog Written By: Sruthi Ranga

Troy IAE and Troy High School students are organizing the first Tennis Tournament to support Nethra Vidyalaya student’s education in India. This is the doubles tournament for middle schoolers, high schoolers and adults. Come have a friendly play with your friends. To have more fun both middle schoolers and high schoolers will play together. Have fun playing, win the trophies and provide education! Come join and support the efforts of high school students who are working together to support underprivileged student’s education Play for a day and support 20 days of education for one student! Block your calendar for August 27, 2023 from 9 AM @ Troy High School courts Registrations fee is considered as donation, so it will not be refunded. Rules & Regulations: All Players must go through the rules & regulations and sign the Waiver Form in registration form.

We concluded an amazing high-energy *2023 4th Annual VT Seva 'Soccer for a Cause'* tournament successfully! With the funds raised in this tournament, we can support the education of 12 children at Nethra Vidyalaya School for the entire year. The players, referees, volunteers, viewers/supporters, and parents were simply FABULOUS in supporting the cause. The games were played with the right spirit and attitude from the beginning to the end. The game coordinators and timekeepers were extremely diligent in ensuring the scores and timings are kept as per schedule. After an electrifying Group 2 final, Look Ma, No Hands team from New Baltimore, MI came as out the winner defeating the tough-playing Novi Lightning Blue . What a nail-biting finish, it was with the two Semis and Final games in the knockout stages after the firepower round-robin group games between the 12 teams!! Detroit FC clashed against Manchester Divided in the finals knocking out CPFC and Team Abhinav in the semis. Detroit FC came up victorious and took the championship trophy 🏆. The rolling trophy has now passed on from last year's winners Saginaw-FC to Detroit FC, who are the new champions of the tournament in Group-3. Very special shoutout to VT Seva youth captains - Kalki, Adhip, Yug, and Abhinav who promoted the event and formed their own teams. Lots of appreciation and thanks to all the referees from the Group 3 teams and Group 2 referees Grace, Darshan & Adam for ensuring the games are played fairly. Special shoutout to Alvin, whose support, drive, and initiatives were critical to the tournament this year. Alvin has been a constant supporter of our cause and this year he played a major role in being part of the VTS Soccer management team, pulling in so many teams, working through the schedule with us, and working hand in hand with our VTS team. Thank you so much! 👍✌️ The event would not have been a grand success without the valuable contributions of VT Seva Volunteers. HOURS & HOURS OF PREP WORK WENT INTO MAKING THIS A SUCCESSFUL EVENT so hats off to the DETROIT STRONG VTS Volunteering team Youth & Adults. Volunteers list: We are so grateful for the support from our event Sponsors- Vani Foods, BSHM Financial Services (Texas), and our corporate sponsor Yazaki North America, Inc. 🙏🙏🙏 Thanks to Akshaya Patra, who provided food for sale at the venue. More details with Game Stats, photos, and special mentions are forthcoming soon in the form of a website blog post!! Event photos can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Lm4hn8WZK7Cz4Xj5A Standings & Scores of the event: Group 2: Group 2 Final Game: Group 3: Group 3 Semi-Finals & Finals Scores: Facebook Link https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02DKruDSFQUSsXYF5D73jjFnGRoANN7zwVSJbJndRvfX6Qz84vVpGF619V9mYbjZKal Youtube Link Blog Written By: Suresh Rajan Blog Published By: Nandini Cheemalamarri

Life becomes more purposeful when you’re doing something good.” Brendan Locke Cancer has a major impact on society in the United States and across the world and it is among the leading causes of death worldwide. Our VT Seva Detroit Youth Board members made an effort to alleviate some of the financial strain that cancer patients goes through. VT Seva Detroit Youth Board successfully completed their 3rd annual hybrid walkathon on July 16, 2023 , to support Angels of Hope - A Family Cancer Foundation supporting Michigan families impacted by Cancer. This year's walkathon kicked off on June 16th immediately after the end of school year. VT Seva leadership team kicked off this event with a lot of energy and instill motivation in all of us. Third annual hybrid walkathon was conducted for 30 days from June 16, 2023 to July 16, 2023. 213 participants , 43 team leads raised more than $3600+ and walked 7700+ hours. By the end of the first week, 50% of the team leads registered, and overall around 50 people registered. And by July 16th, we have 42 team leads registered with 213 people. Many of the team leads went above and beyond and were able to recruit more than 4 members in their team. Final day… On July 16th, the final walkathon day... with 60+ participants, We kicked it off with a yoga session by Srilatha , all participants got an opportunity to learn about Yoga and practice a few exercises. Most importantly.. beneficiaries of the walkathon also joined the event, which is Angels of Hope and a cancer impacted person helped by this organization. It was eye-opening to many of the volunteers to hear the financial and mental problems that they go through and how their lives are impacted. Angels of Hope stood next to these people and helped them to pay their rent, utility bills as well as groceries and ensured they go through a speedy recovery. Hearing these directly from the affected people, all volunteers got motivated and inspired to help out more for this cause. Joining this well-organized, thoughtful event really opened many of our eyes to how reality is for others who are still part of our community. It spread a lot of awareness to myself and my peers on struggles others go through, and how we can help them. In the end, we successfully raised more than $3,500 which will be used for the greater cause of helping cancer families. VT-Seva's Annual Walkathon will surely be an event that many of us will attend again due to its huge impact across many people. One of our youth team Oviya Jaisankar donated her hair for the organization Wigs 4 Kids which supports the children who are impacted by cancer. This event would not have been possible without our Team Leads! Huge shoutout to: Varnika Jakka, Oviya Jaisankar, Abhiram Mudeganti, Hajanthan Muhinthan, Akshaya Palanisamy, Akshita Mylavarapu, Anvika Perumalla, Sreenika Perumalla, Aanya Das, Adhip Pisipati, Pelon Lin, Rishi Chowdhury, Saisha Srivatsan, Sathvik Tirumala Kanduri, Aditi Jethri Kompally, Akshay Kumar, Akshith Ashwanth, Anuraag Balaji, Arya Tarun Cheemalamarri, Eesha Chigullapally, Ishan Iyer, Jayanth Bhatti, Kalki Renga Anand, Rishi Adduri, Ruthvi Ala,Sai Sahasra Namuduri, Sai Sri Ram Karnati, Samhith Enganti, Sanjana Datla, Shivam Shah, Shivani Nimmagadda, Shraya Ved, Sneha Chandrasekar, Sriraam Hebbar, Supraja Pattangi, Teja Tanush Cheemalamarri, Varshan Muhinthan, Veena Karthik, and Vishnu Athreya This year our team leaders not only walking and raising money for Angels of Hope, they were walking across national parks. Rishi Chowdhry a team leader put together a google map for all national parks in the contiguous states in USA. Many team leaders learned about those national parks and shared their learning with others. On top of achieving the goal of getting at least 4 team members, some team leads exceeded that! This year’s winners are: Individuals with more miles 1st Place - Kalki 2nd Place - Rithvik 3rd Place - Priyanka Team with more miles 1st Place - Oviya 2nd Place - Adhip 3rd Place - Rishi C Team Leads with more members 1st Place - Varnika (22 Members) 2nd Place - Oviya (14 Members) 3rd Place - Abhiram (9 Members) This year’s Walkathon would also not have been possible without the parents who sponsored the snacks and drinks that kept all the participants' energy up! Thanks to the parents ( Vidya ji, Jaisankar ji, Jisha ji, Nandhini ji, Nalini ji & Kanchana ji ) who sponsored water bottles, fruits, snack bars, and cookies. Not only did some sponsor for treats, but we would also like to thank the families and team members ( Suresh Kaku (Sai Sriram) ji, Aarthi ji, Architha ji & Siri ji ) that chose to donate more. We raised a $600 donation for this cause through this! Thanks to 𝐔𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐣𝐢 for website creation and providing support with website maintenance and updates. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with setup to cleanup ! We are very grateful for a successful Walkathon this year, and thank all the contributors. Reflection from few of our walkathon team leads! Oviya Jaisankar: This is 3rd year I’m participating as a Team Leader. Knowing the impact this project creates in the families impacted by cancer, I try to reach out more to contribute more. Moreover, this project motivates me to walk every day and stay healthy too. Prayers to all the families and patients impacted by cancer. Veena Karthik: It is very overwhelming for Cancer patients and their families when they are saddled with bills and out of pocket costs while dealing with life altering illness and treatments. I was glad to be part of VT Seva Detroit - Angels of Hope partnership Walkathon 2023 to raise funds for those impacted families and help ease their financial strain during this difficult time. This walkathon also helped our family to stay active during summer. Anvika Perumalla: The walkathon was a wonderful experience as I was able to raise money for those fighting cancer and see the true impact right in front of me at the finale. It made me realize that the impacts which I had created may seem insignificant to me, but it was instilling buckets of hope in others. I am so glad I was able to be apart of this opportunity and I wish to continue to spread joy in my community. Pelon Lin: It was a really nice event to attend. I really enjoyed walking throughout the whole Walkathon and the final kickoff event at Shiawassee Park. My family and I are very active people, and we each enjoy different forms of exercise, such as running, walking, swimming, and playing basketball. This Walkathon was really memorable to me because it was great seeing more than 200 people participate in the Walkathon to help support Angels of Hope. Although some people did not log mileage, this Walkathon helped encourage many people to walk, which will benefit their health. Sreenika Perumalla: When VT Seva started the walkathon this year, my initial feeling was just one more project with a focus on helping cancer-impacted people. However, this thought process totally changed and made me a more changed (committed and motivated) individual by the end of the whole program. And I believe the same reflection is on youth as well as adults. Video By: Adhip Pisipati Blog Written By: Sreenika Perumalla Blog Edited By: Priya Jaisankar