A sold out crowd packed Sky Hangar Sunday evening for the Ridge Meadows South Asian Cultural Society’s 16th annual gala.
Around $15,000 was raised by 290 guests for local charities including: Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation, Ridge Meadows Foundry, Meals on Wheels, Coast Mental Health, and other children’s causes.
Umang Yagnik emceed the event.
The highlight of the evening, said Dr Biju Mathew, founder of the Ridge Meadows South Asian Cultural Society, was a keynote speech delivered by Dr. Vijay Seethapathy, president of the Canadian Psychiatric Association and chief medical officer at BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services.
Seethapathy detailed his journey of developing a world class treatment centre for mental illness and addiction in Coquitlam at the Riverview Lands.
Redfish Healing Centre is a 105-bed provincial facility for people with complex and concurrent mental health and substance use disorders.
The centre is B.C.’s flagship program.
Seethapathy told the crowd that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety but the instillation of hope, and he received a standing ovation at the end of his speech, said Mathew.
Three local people were honoured at the gala for their work making the community a better place.
Community Impact Awards were given to Mike Murray, Simi Khanna, and Dr. Bhupinder Johar for their life long volunteerism.
“I am truly honored to receive the Community Impact Award from the Ridge Meadows South Asian Cultural Society,” said Johar online.
“For the past 24 years, I have simply tried to do my best to help the pets and people of Maple Ridge. It brings me tremendous satisfaction to see that these efforts have been recognized by my community.
“My sincere thanks to RMSACS and to the wonderful community of Maple Ridge for this honor,” added the local veterinarian who owns and operates Haney Animal Hospital.
Mathew called the trio “heroes” and he described their work as “inspiring”.
The gala also featured live entertainment, including South Asian dancers and a feast of South Asian foods.