South Asian Network
After successfully assisting almost 400 people with getting vaccinated a fortnight ago, SAN returned to Buena Park’s Gurdwara Singh Sabha on Sunday, January 30th, in its continued effort to help people get immunized against COVID-19.
The event was a symbiotic effort between the Buena Park Gurdwara, South Asian Network and Orange County Health Care Agency and welcomed walk-in attendees along with those that had pre-registered appointments. Three booths set up with pharmacists administrating doses for adults and children ensured a minimal wait time and all of the shots (1st/2nd/booster) were made accessible.
Surjeet Singh’s family of three all received their 1st COVID-19 shot and were very happy with their experience. “Everything has been so smooth, and very nicely arranged. The staff has been very co-operative and helped us to feel at ease.
SAN’s Executive Director Shakeel Syed was overjoyed to witness that the event not only attracted Sikhs & members of the South Asian community, but even the residents of the Buena Park neighborhood. “You notice around here a sense of serving the community irrespective of one’s faith, ethnicity,
language and age. That spirit is what South Asian Network tries to foster – that we need to transcend our own traditions for the common and greater good of the society”, he said.
Programs Manager Hina Ahmad expressed that education and outreach within the community on COVID-19 has been a rocky road but the event was “very much like them welcoming us and saying yes, we believe in the science, we believe that we need to get vaccinated.”
The event also welcomed members of the community with green cards interested in applying for American citizenship. Programs Assistant Shakuntala Chugani eagerly helped those interested to make an appointment for further case-specific assistance. For the benefit of citizenship applicants with limited proficiency of English language, Community Outreach Coordinator Balvinder Kaur translated the citizenship application and interview flashcards in Punjabi.
“It takes a village to serve the community”, Shakeel said, and the success of the event was a true reflection of that.
