In January 1991 as the Gulf War began Sikh Broadcasting Corporation initiated the movement for a Blood Drive in support of our troops. Monday March 41991 after several months of planning the World Sikh on Sikh Foundation of Virginia and Sikh Broadcasting co-sponsored the Blood Drive which was held at the SFV Gurudwara Sahib in Fairfax Station. Conducted by the American Red Cross it drew unstinted support from the Sikh community. Over 100 people came including some from the neighborhood. Many had to be turned away because of the constraints imposed Organizatiby time and personnel.
The donors represented a fair cross-section of the community. There were large number of women and many elders who were Keen to donate. Two-thirds of those who donated were first-time donors. The Blood Drive may well have been the first of its kind at a Gurudwara on the East Coast.
Overall the Blood Drive was 4 great successes S.Lachman Singh Aujla and Dr Nau Nihal Singh from the WSO stressed the importance of the effort. Dr Singh distributed leaflets about Bhai Kanhaiya and the origin of the Red Cross in the time of Guru Gobind Singh ji. Dr Amarjit Singh Chairman S.Balwant Singh Multan Secretary SFV spoke of their objective of enhancing this endeavor.
The event received a lot of media attention. There was front page coverage of the drive in local newspapers and television coverage. Sikh Broadcasting covered the event extensively There was broad recognition of the motivating force behind the Drive.
What made the Blood Drive so important? It was clearly humanitarian but also demonstrative of the support the Sikhs have for their adoptive country. In perpetuation of Guru Nanak Dev ji’s message of “Vand chako” sharing caring and giving this event crossed the narrow boundaries of cloistered ethnicity. It enabled the Sikhs to offer help and show their support to the larger American community. With this action Sikhs moved one step closer to mainstreaming. Sikhism has always been too pragmatic and illuminated to be constrained by the walls of the Gurdwara’s.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 22, 1991
