Wednesday, 30 October 2019

Indian Association Cardinia Casey

Ms CRUGNALE (Bass) (09:51): I rise to acknowledge the Indian Association Cardinia Casey (IACC), who have brought so much colour, goodness and positive spirit into our lives, our streets, parks, gathering places and our region as a whole. The team, president Aanchal Meshram alongside committee members Aditi Maini, Ranbir Kathuria, Aman Arora, Mayur Meshram and Ruchi Singla, are all about strengthening community, and they do it by sharing their Indian culture.

Diwali’s celebrations have been the focus this last week, and they have organised not one but three, in varied locations so everyone has the opportunity to attend. The one at Bunjil Place was literally one massive synchronised heartbeat of joy. The drummers and performers, young and old, were just exceptional. In their mix of enriching activities they also run language classes for children, yoga classes, a TechX program and 4VR Women: Our Tribe, Our Pride—a campaign to empower women through program areas like career guidance, mentoring, driving lessons and general wellbeing. They have also run a blanket drive for those in need over winter, organised food and clothing during the Bunyip fires and health checks for parents and grandparents.

Through the work they do we gain new perspectives, we broaden our own, and this binds us as a community and enriches us a society. If we are valued, we contribute, we link arms and we walk forward together. I thank the IACC and all those around them for their invaluable contribution to making our community and region an even better place to live.