Love Goes Both Ways as the Young Serenade Their Elders
The Drum Beat Orchestra Abdul Merchant, keyboards; singers Shamim Khoja, Jasmine and Shamir Danani (seated) and Sharif Maradia, electric drum – serenaded the guests.
By Jawahar Malhotra
HOUSTON:
It didn’t matter that it was three days after Valentine’s Day, it was the weekend afterall. What mattered most that the older people of the community – and especially the elders – had a chance to participate in the tradition and were showered with affection and care, even if they were far away from their loved ones. It made all the difference to them to be appreciated.
Vendors exhibited their products at the event. From left, Lawrence Torres and wife Sarai of Sylvan Beach Aesthetics and Dr. Abdul Moosa and wife Ashma Khanani-Moosa of Grace & Heart.
That has been the modus operandi for Club 65 ever since it was formed almost 5 years ago to cater to the needs and well-being of its senior Indian members, most of whom at present are first generation immigrants to this country.
C65 is an offshoot of the Indian Muslim Association of Greater Houston, itself a relatively young organization which has become visibly prominent through many events over the past seven years. And from the start, Paru McGuire has been an active volunteer and the C65 President for the past three years.
The ever-energetic 90 year-old Tayeb Shipchandler belted out a song and even danced a jig!
McGuire served as the emcee for C65 Valentine’s Day party held this past Saturday, February 17 at the Savoy Banquet Hall on Wilcrest and West Airport and was heartened that almost 90 people attended. The party featured two vendors who exhibited their products at the event: Lawrence Torres and wife Sarai of Sylvan Beach Aesthetics who offer massage therapy and beauty products and Dr. Abdul Moosa and wife Ashma Khanani-Moosa of Grace & Heart who sell jewelry made by women in third-world countries. Ashma is a breast cancer survivor who is very active in reaching out to help other women who may have the disease. Each vendor gave free demonstrations of their products.
Club 65 volunteer Saeed Pathan sang a special number for his wife (seated in the crowd).
Each one of the nearly 90 guests received a deep red rose and paid a nominal $5 charge to defray some of the costs of the buffet lunch and other arrangements, with IMAGH picking up the difference. The crowd was serenaded by the Drum Beat Orchestra made up of Abdul Merchant on keyboards; singers Shamim Khoja, Jasmine and Shamir Danani and Sharif Maradia on the electric drums.
Club 65 President and chief organizer, Paru McGuire, served as the emcee
Volunteer Rozina Zafarali busily took pictures of the whole event. But not to be outdone, 90 year-old Tayeb Shipchandler, affectionately known as “kaka”, with a penchant for English songs, sang one with his strong, still unwavering voice and even danced a jig later.
Volunteer Saeed Pathan sang two numbers for his adoring wife in the audience and others also chose to sing their own tunes. Towards the end, everyone joined in to dance the garba.