Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago

Transcription

1 Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago 435 N. Route 59, Bartlett, IL Phone: (630) Website: Newsletter April 2008 Board of Trustees Dipak Doshi - Chairman dipak.doshi@yahoo.com Dr. Mukesh Doshi mukusha@gmail.com Sunil Jain suniljain99@hotmail.com Kishor C. Shah kishorcshah@hotmail.com Prabodh Vaidya prabodhvaidya31@yahoo.com Executive Committee President Atul Shah abshah24@yahoo.com Vice-President Arvind Shah arvind699@yahoo.com Secretary Tejas Shah shahta3@yahoo.com Treasurer Hitesh C. Shah 7hitesh@comcast.net Jt. Treasurer Parag M. Shah psjs_us@yahoo.com Membership Secretary Hemant Shah hemantil@yahoo.com Education Secretary Dr. Pradip Shah pradipks1@comcast.net Food Secretary Hitesh R. Shah hitshah54@yahoo.com Youth Secretary Shibani Shah shibani.shah@gmail.com Jai Jinendra, We congratulate all members and sincerely thank the volunteers and performers for making Saturday, April 19, 2008 Mahavir Jayanti a festive occasion. About 1,800 people attended the event at our center. We hope to build on such successes and make this a way of life at our society. For those who could not attend, the following summarizes our comments to you. Having completed many ongoing tasks over the past 3-4 months, we have just turned a the corner in terms of upcoming priorities and where our focus needs to be; temple construction and fund raising. For most of us a TEMPLE SPONSORSHIP opportunity presents itself only once in a lifetime. We request you to support our membership in RAISING FUNDS needed to complete our temple expansion and to bring stability to our future. In 2004 we embarked on an ambitious Expansion Project. With your support we have completed the expansion of our center and community hall. The remaining project of the temple expansion and reconstruction is now slated for completion in While we have secured a bank loan to complete the remaining construction project, we need a total of $6.5 million to redeem our debt and have sufficient operating funds for maintaining and operating our temple and the center. This will create an adequate foundation for an effective hand-over to the next generation. The temple construction will require the relocation and creation of a temporary temple and the help of at least five Shilpis doing marble and stone carving and installation work. We have hired one Shilpi locally (Kavindra Sompura) who is starting with us on May 5, Ongoing efforts are underway to finalize and procure new tables, stage curtains, stage lighting, and audio/video systems; all on schedule and targeted for full implementation before Paryushan. We seek your support in accomplishing this goal of an expanded-renovated temple within the next 9-12 months. It is the generosity of our donors that has created a 15-year legacy and continues to ensure our existence. We have designed new sponsorship opportunities. Please consider making the most generous donation you possibly can. Every member, every dollar, and every bit of volunteer time, will move us closer to SUCCESS. Sincerely, The Board of Trustees and Executive Committee Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago Newsletter Editor: Tejas Shah Co-Editor: Tina Shah & Vipul Shah 1

2 Utthapan Ceremony Saturday, May 31, 2008 Plans for the anticipated temple construction have been finalized and Pratima Utthapan ceremony will be performed on Saturday, May 31, Fixed donation of $501 for Bhamti & Dev-Devi Pratimas, $751 for Ghabhara Pratimas & $1001 for Mulnaayak has been determined. More details will be announced later. POC: Atul Shah, Arvind Shah, Tejas Shah JSMC 15 th Anniversary Celebration Saturday & Sunday, June 28 & 29, 2008 A Grand celebration for two days will be held to celebrate the 15 th Anniversary of the JSMC with Dhwaja Ceremony, Abhishek, 108 Parshvanath Poojan & Musical Drama. Celebrations will be conducted under the directions & presence of Shri Narendrabhai Nandu. 108 Parshvanath Poojan will be conducted on Saturday, June 28, Parshvanath pratimas, blessed with ritual processes by Maharaj Saheb from India have been arranged. Three (3) Poojan sponsorship opportunities are available at the donation of $2001each. Members can participate in Poojan with a minimal donation of $301. Poojan participants will be fortunate to take Pratimas home after the Poojan. Shri Narendrabhai Nandu suggested replacing original Musical drama with two shorter duration musical dramas Aaras Ke Vaaras & Raamla Barot Ni Tirth Bhakti. Both dramas will be performed on Saturday, June 28, 2008 by our members. A fixed donation has been defined for different roles. Roles will be awarded on a first come first basis; members are requested to grab this great opportunity. Gheeboli for primary roles in both dramas will be held during Varsitap Parna celebration. Drama will be choreographed and directed by Shri Narendrabhai Nandu. Dhwaja Ceremony, Digambar Abhishek and Swetambar 18 Abhishek will be conducted on Sunday, June 29, For minimal donation of $51, members are allowed to bring their personal Pratimas for 18 Abhishek. Detailed arrangements on 18 Abhishek will be announced later. JSMC is fortunate to have blessings and discourses from Samnijis Akshyaprajna and Vinaypragya during the celebration. Please contact Tejas Shah or Arvind Shah or Atul Shah for participating in these events. Swamivatsalya Sponsorship, Dinner for June 28, 2008 can be sponsored for $3001 and lunch for June 29, 2008 can be sponsored for $2001. Your cooperation in sponsoring will be highly appreciated. Please contact Arvind Shah, or Hitesh R. Shah. JSMC Picnic Sunday, July 20, 2008 Our annual picnic will be held with a combination of traditional activities & revised arrangements with food stalls & entertainment for all ages. Please mark your calendar. Details will be announced later. Upcoming JSMC Events Swami Shrutpragyaji Shibir Friday Sunday, July 25 27, 2008 A Shibir for adults (18 years & above) will be held in JSMC under the direction of Swamiji with various activities. Registration deadline for this event is July 10, A nominal fee of $101 is determined for registration on or before June 15, 2008 & $151 for registration between June 15 th & July 10 th. Shibir guidelines and details will be announced later. Please contact Atul Shah or Hemant Shah or Hitesh R. Shah for registration. Fund Raising Dinner Saturday, August 16, 2008 We are very excited to announce the highly anticipated Grand Fund Raising Dinner is being planned in a banquet style arrangement at our beautiful facility. The event will be hosted with individual from various Indian and other communities with a minimal donation of $100 for each participant. An evening will be cherished with distinguished dignitaries, speakers and professional entertainers. The event will be highly inviting for our young adult families with a special arrangements to entertain young kids in separate rooms. Kids entertainment shall include Pizza, Movies and Games for a small donation of $10/Child. It s an unique opportunity for the entire family to be part of this fund raising event. We look forward to your support, participation and marketing of this event to all your friends in Jain community and outside. Several sponsorship opportunities exist. Diamond Sponsor - $5,000, Platinum Sponsor - $3,000 and Gold Sponsor - $2,000. Each of this sponsorship includes one table for 10 people. In addition to professional artists program, we have an hour of entertainment by top quality local Jain and non-jain performers. Please contact Sunil Jain if you or some other talented person can participate. Recurring Events JSMC is grateful to Himesh Jhaveri, Suresh Shah and Mahila Mandal for coordinating the following recurring events: 1. Weekly Pakshaal Chandan Puja, and 2. Monthly Snatra Puja. Participation in weekly Pakshaal Chandan Puja can be registered with Himesh Jhaveri at (312) / jsmcpooja@yahoo.com. Participation in Monthly Snatra Puja on every 3 rd Sunday can be registered with Rashmi Shah at (630)

3 Construction Update Temple Construction The construction committee and the BOT have had several meetings during the past month including meetings with prospective contractors. We have so far received bids from two contractors and we are expecting to receive two more bids by the time this newsletter is published. During the week of May 11, 2008 the construction committee and the BOT will carefully evaluate and deliberate all the bids. We hope to select the contractor by May 20, We expect construction to begin by June 1, 2008 with the help of Kavindra Sompura and local skilled and non-skilled workers. As announce in the previous newsletter Kavindra Sompura has been now hired by JSMC and has already started the preliminary work of taking inventory of the marble already received from India. During this process the missing and/or damaged pieces of the marble will be identified for re-ordering. He will also take new measurements of the property to determine the marble slabs of various sizes needed for the construction. We expect this work to be complete within the next few days and all the remaining marble will be ordered within the next four weeks. As previously announced the Utthapan Vidihi will be done in a ceremonious way the date TBD by EC. Once the construction begins the temple will be closed for public access. Temple Relocation A temporary temple will be erected in the current Upashraya and the Upashraya will be relocated for the duration of the construction at a place yet to be determined. Our current preferred location for the temporary relocation of the Upashraya is the newly renovated youth room. However, if anyone has any other suggestions for the relocation of the Upashraya, we are anxious for your suggestions. A well-known temple artist by the name of Nipul Shah in San Diego has been commissioned for designing and constructing the temporary temple for JSMC. We expect this to be delivered and erected by June 30, Stage and Audio-video After evaluating three bids for the stage curtain and stage lights a contract has been awarded to a company called Grand Stage. We expect this work to be completed by August 1, Jayesh Shah, the chairman of the A/V committee has met with two prospective A/V contractors. After receiving bids and proposals from at least three vendors, the BOT in consultation with the A/V Committee will award the A/V contract. While we want this work to be completed by December 31, 2008, it is too early as of yet to determine the completion date for A/V work. Miscellaneous Items Contract for the fiberglass dome will be awarded in next two weeks. This dome will replace the existing temporary dome in the temple and will have the look and feel of a marble dome Preliminary work for the storm water drainage, leveling the front ramp and designing the left only turn lane from southbound Route 59 to the Jain Center has started. We will provide more update regarding this work in future as and when more information is available. The BOT has been working with a renowned Immigration attorney for securing visas for Shilpis from India. If everything goes well we might have Shilpis from India within 6 to 8 weeks. Please pray with us so that we succeed in this. Sincerely, The Board of Trustees Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago 3

4 1 st Quarter Financial Summary Income Amount Bhandar Cash Collection $11,393 General Fund $15,152 Mahila Mandal Fund $4,164 Donated use of facility $1,319 Pathashala Registration $5,076 Misc Revenue $1,340 Membership due $1,203 Special event - Drama & Contr $22,365 Rental $1,900 Temple Expansion Donation/Pledges $23,787 Pathashala Lunch Sponsorship $451 Interest Income $13,860 Total $102,010 Expenses Amount Utilities - Water/Gas/Electric $26,314 Phone $868 Snow Cleaning $6,965 Postage& Mailing $530 Printing & Copying $3,788 Temporary Help $822 Office Expenses $530 Janitorial Service $436 Repair & maintenance $6,895 Supplies $3,604 Payroll $3,900 Payroll Expenses $298 Food Exp $3,121 Accounting, Auditing and Tax Service 2006 $5,000 Special Event Expenses $6,615 Architect Fees $10,000 Construction Expenses $33,197 Mortgage Interest $48,750 Mortgage Loan Expenses $8,939 Construction Loan Interest $47,244 Garbage Disposal $979 Bank Charges $354 Total $218,795 Donate NOW, Help Make Our Temple DEBT-FREE 2004 Construction Expansion and Renovation Project 2007 Completion of the Center / Community Hall Expansion ($6.5 million) 2008 (Current Focus) $1.0 million Temple Reconstruction Expansion and reconstruction requiring marble work by skilled craftsmen working full-time over 9-12 months We expect to award temple contract within next 6-8 weeks $ million New Hall / Stage F&E Audio/video, security system, stage curtains, stage lighting, furniture and fixtures $ million Building / Premises Upgrades Old building remediation for roof & A/C (replacement) Ramp leveling, grading and parking improvements 2009 Project Completion (current projection) 1 st Quarter Net Income/Loss -$116,785 Mortgage Loan Status as of May 3, 2008 Initial Mortgage Loan $5.72 million at 5.25% for a 7-Year Term Original Mortgage Loan Amount $5,720, Principal Payment till 5/3/ , Loan Balance $5,690, Additional Principal Payment , Loan Balance as of 5/3/2008 $5,380,

5 New Ways to Give Traditional Ways to Give Now there are NEW ways to contribute to JSMC. Donations to the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago are tax deductible to the extent allowed and go a long way to work for religious as well as social purposes of our entire community. Your gift will enable JSMC to continue its quest towards meeting the religious, social, educational, and economic needs to the Jain community. TRIIBUTE: HONOR OR MEMORIAL Honor someone, living or deceased, in celebration of a birthday, anniversary, or other important occasions by sponsoring that day s Aarti for $251. A tribute gift is a thoughtful way to celebrate and/or to acknowledge family and friends. JSMC will post your sponsorship on the notice board for a week and include your tribute in the JSMC newsletter recognizing your tribute. FOUNDATION DONOR FOR PATHSHALA Individual donors that choose to make stand-alone exclusive donations of $5000 or $15,000 under this scheme would have an opportunity to have their names (up to a maximum of 15 letters) carved (1 lettering for $5,000 and 3 for $15,000) on a foundation wall (as designated by the Board) at an entry point of Pathshala classroom area. GUARANTOR Effective 2008 these are the first 200 individuals/families that pledge a donation of $25,000 to $75,000 to be made in approximately a 2-3 years, due no later than December 20, These families do not have to pay anything upfront. Each would be supplied with information and material that could be used to communicate outward (beyond the JSMC members) to friends and families nationwide (including non-members), and encourage them to support the cause. JSMC will also assist and endorse to accomplish a successful fundraising. At the end of the term, and depending upon matching donations, the Guarantor will pay the balance of the pledged donation. The Guarantor will receive recognition as the primary fundraiser. JSMC will send out acknowledgments and receipts (as needed) to all contributors. EXECUTIVE SPONSOR There are four categories of Executive Sponsorship; Patron ($100,000 and higher), VIP ($150,000 and higher), Executive VIP ($300,000 and higher), and Benefactor ($500,000 and higher). Under this scheme, the Executive Sponsor shall fulfill the pledged amount within a 2-3 year term. JSMC wants to recognize the sponsor as the VIP person/family. NOTE: Recognizing the significance of achieving a debt-free status for our temple and to encourage participation, the executive sponsors shall be given credit for all donations made since 2005 in connection with the JSMC Construction Expansion Project. There are many traditional ways to contribute. Donations to the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago are tax deductible to the extent allowed and go a long way to work for religious as well as social purposes of our entire community. Your gift will enable JSMC to continue its quest towards meeting the religious, social, educational, and economic needs to the Jain community. GENERAL DONATION A general donation gift to JSMC can be made by check, credit/debit card, or cash. No donation is a small donation. Your generosity is always respected and appreciated. JSMC accepts any amount as part of general donation. 1. You may mail or submit your donation check to JSMC at P.O. Box 8326, Bartlett, IL You may make a credit/debit card donation on-line by visiting JSMC s website at 3. You may make a cash donation by depositing in Temple s Bhandar or by submitting the cash to JSMC s office. FIXED PLEDGE A pledge can be paid over time in installments, typically set forth based upon specific pledges. In many instances other payment schedules can also be set forth by coordinating specifics with the Board of Trustees. There are many fixed pledges items that one can sponsor such as Darshanik Pratima outside at the main entrance, Elevator, Pathshala Classroom, Teacher s Lounge, High Tech Audio Video Room, etc. A list of the remaining fixed pledge items is published routinely and is also available by contacting JSMC. GHEEBOLI Gheeboli is an on-going bidding process for sponsoring a Pratimaji or idols in our new temple. A complete list of all the items available in Gheeboli is available by contacting JSMC. Gheeboli will be closed three months prior to the Grand Pratishtha Mahotsav, opening ceremony, of the new temple, targeted in INTEREST-FREE LOAN Currently we are paying 5.25% interest on the loan we have taken, resulting in a total annualized interest payment of approximately $350,000. Giving an interest-free loan is another way to help JSMC. Suggested minimum loan amount is $10,000. JSMC will issue a promissory note which will spell out the terms and conditions of the loan and its return schedule. JSMC will automatically return you the check in the amount of the loan you have given after the specified loan period. BENEFICIARY GIFT or BEQUEST Designate JSMC as a recipient of cash, gift, or a percentage of your estate in your will or trust. You may also designate the JSMC as a beneficiary of a trust, life insurance policy, or IRA 5

6 Traditional Ways to Give AVAILABLE FIXED PLEDGES & GHEEBOLIS (As of March 23, 2008) Fixed Pledge Items Pledge Amount Gheeboli Items Current Bid Amount Darshnik Pratima (Outside Wall) I $25,001 Manibhadra Vir $35,001 Darshnik Pratima (Outside Wall) II $25,001 Simandhar Swami $45,001 Darshnik Pratima (Outside Wall) II $25,001 Shrimad Pratima $25,001 Sadhviji Maharaj Paat (Upashraya) $41,001 Amulya Tatva on the wall $11,001 Sadhuji Maharaj Paat (Upashraya) $41,001 Shri Sudharmaswami $25,001 Temple Elevator $40,001 Shri Dharnendra $25,001 Office Elevator $25,001 Ambikadevi $25,001 Elephant (Outside Right) $25,001 Vighnahara Parshwanath $35,001 Elephant (Outside Left) $25,001 Bhomiyaji $20,001 Fitness Room $50,001 Guruji Maharaj Pat (Upashraya) Classroom 6 (562 Sq. Ft.) $75,001 Navakarmantra (Upashraya) $15,001 Classroom 7 (925 Sq. Ft.) $101,001 Prasad Devi (Chakeshwari Devi) (Gokhala under Mulnayak Mahavirswami) $20,001 Classroom 8 (933 Sq. Ft.) $101,001 Total Gheeboli Amount $281,011 Classroom 9 (907 Sq. Ft.) $101,001 Teachers Lounge / Classroom $50,001 Modern Kitchen Facility $50,001 New Dining Area $50,001 Audio Video Room $50,001 Poojan Samagri Room (Prayer Hall) $35,001 Coat Area (Lower level) $25,001 Kitchen Storage Room $31,000 Total Fixed Pledges $991,020 JSMC gratefully appreciates a generous donation from each of the following donors. Members Amount Comments Lalit & Hemalata Desai $1,001 New donation for expansion project Bharat & Kashmira Shah $1,111 Pledged Donation Chetan & Payal Shah $2,501 Pledged donation for Coat Area #1 National City Bank $1,000 Expansion Project Nlesh & Rupa Shah $1,250 Pledged donation for expansion project Indira Mansukhlal Doshi $25,001 Pledged donation for New Stage Memorial Trust Nitin & Meena Shah $250,000 New member loan for the expansion project 6

7 Quarterly Executive Committee Report Looking back on the first quarter, a number of decisions were made. It s paramount that we remain focused on the enhancement of our society. Members of Executive Committee gathered their strengths in their respective responsibilities. Highlights of accomplishments by Executive Committee (jointly with the members of the Board of Trustees): Defined and developed major policies and procedures for smooth execution. Developed and deployed competitive rates for Facility Rental and Advertisement. Re-designed the newsletter in color with a easy-to-read layout. Opening more lines of communication than ever before! Identified a cost-saving approach for mailing the newsletter. Streamlined consistent members communication procedures and protocols. Rejuvenated Volunteer Task force and defined formal sub-committees for volunteers to participate. Planned and hosted successful cultural program and fund raising event. Completed reconciliation and integration of financial data in an advanced financial system. Synchronized financial database with membership database for single membership ID. Consolidated all of the outstanding donation due list for members and defined strategies to encourage donations. Established strong relationships with community leaders from state offices. Established rapport with media partners & newspapers to provide JSMC recognition to other Indian communities. Operational usage of fully featured kitchen for routinely in-house cooking during Swamivatsalya & Pathshala lunch. Co-ordinated Lock-in & Skiing event to encourage our youths. Cohesively working with YJA to assist in hosting a convention in the month of July, Looking ahead with plans for: Expand our kitchen facility with capabilities to conduct catering & fast food services during the weekends. Celebrate 15 th Anniversary year with an updated and accurate membership directory. Upgrade our website with new appearance and features. Leveraging the new financial software & forms to ensure donors get receipt within 30 days of donation. Mahavir Jayanti Celebration The entire event was truly celebrated with great enthusiasm & spirit. Over 200 Pathshala students participated in Declamation Contest & Cultural Program. There was seamless execution and the event was a huge success as a result of teamwork. Acknowledgements JSMC received remarkable support from volunteers in every aspect of the event. JSMC is proud to see motivational movements toward the betterment of our society. JSMC sincerely appreciates everyone s tremendous support under short notice for handling logistics of new chairs in the prayer hall. JSMC is highly grateful to all the volunteers, parents, participants, Pathshala teachers & members for their valuable time and support to make this a memorable event. JSMC recognizes dedicated help received in the kitchen & dining room, audio/video, stage decorations & lighting, prayer hall, parking, decorations, Snatra Puja, Digambar Puja, Shrimad Bhakti, Aangi, Declamation contest, Cultural Program, video & photography, MC, big screen projection and booth preparation. Congratulations to winners of 10 th Declamation Contest Participation 1 st Place 2 nd Place 3 rd Place Group1 - Topic: My vision of a Jain Family in Modern Times Anjali Doshi Kshama Shah Anish Doshi Group 2 Topic: Contribution of Jainism to the world Kushal Shah Shikhar Shah Shreya Shah Group 3: Topic - Divine Light of Mantra Sejal Jain Hema Pokharana Navita Choradia 7

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9 JSMC Membership Directory The 15 th anniversary celebration will be highlighted with a new membership directory during We would like to update your contact information. Please download and fill out Membership Update Form from our website: Form.pdf 1. If your address and phone number are not the same as in the 2003 Membership directory (current directory) and you have not updated that yet 2. If there are spelling errors in your Name and Address 3. If you became a member after 2003 and have moved or changed information 4. If your marital status changed or there are changes in your children s information You may bring the form to the Temple office on your next visit or mail it to: Hemant Shah, 664 Tacoma Drive, Carol Stream, IL Advertisement for Membership Directory You have always supported JSMC by advertising. Please support once again by becoming a well wisher and by advertising your business or profession in new Membership Directory with any of the following. One line in bottom of membership info - $51 (For Well Wishers name only) 1. Quarter (¼) Page - $ Half (1/2) Page - $ Full Page - $ Inside, Last Page - $ Inside First Page - $ Back Cover Inside, Full Page - $ Front Cover Inside, Full Page - $ Back Cover outside, Full page - $2000 Note: Advertisement application for items 5-9 will be accepted only via US mail. You may download a form for advertisement from our website ertisement form.pdf Jain Darshan Monthly Jain Darshan, which was earlier issued by JSMC, is now issued by Indira Mansukhlal Doshi Memorial Trust. Those, who are interested in getting the copy by mail, are requested to send their names by calling Chandan Shah at (630) or by sending an at rtshah41@yahoo.com. JSMC Heritage Fund Scholarship As we have done in year 2007, we have planned 5 scholarships of $1, each for needy students and 10 scholarships of $ each for students on merit basis only. The eligibility rules are enclosed for your ready reference. Please read it carefully to determine if a student in your family qualifies for the scholarship. If he or she is, please have the student request an application form (via only) from: Kishor C. Shah, 5 Whippoorwill Court, Roselle, IL kishorcshah@hotmail.com Request must include applicant s name, parent s name, address, telephone number and address of the applicant. Last day to request application form is Friday, May 23, ELIGIBILITY RULES: The following requirements will govern selection of JSMC Heritage Fund Scholarship recipients: 1. The father, mother, or legal guardian of the applicant must be a life member of JSMC for minimum of one year as of 1/1/ Applicant must graduate from an accredited high school. 3. This scholarship program is only for the First year student accepted to an accredited college or community college where the student may pursue courses leading to a bachelor's degree. 4. JSMC Heritage fund will pay the full amount of scholarship award directly to the applicant once a college or university has accepted a scholarship winner. The money is to be used for tuition, books, supplies, and general fees. 5. All applicants will be evaluated in following categories Essay, ACT/SAT score, Class ranking, GPA, Recommendation from school, and Extra curricular activities. For need basis FAFSA and SAR also will be evaluated. In order for student to qualify for the scholarship, student will need to score at least 75% of total points from above mentioned categories. JSMC Heritage fund will award: General Announcements 1. 5 (five) scholarships of $1, each on a need basis. To qualify for need basis scholarship, Applicants must submit an official copy of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application and Student Aid Report (SAR) indicating Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with your application. Otherwise that application will be considered for merit basis scholarship only. Applicant s parents/ guardians will require furnishing assets evaluation form (ten) scholarships of $ each, strictly on merit basis only. All applicants will qualify for one category only, either on a need basis or on a merit basis. 9

10 Membership Update JSMC is honored to welcome the following new life members Family City State Alpesh & Mittal Shah Skokie IL Heena & Tridip Shah Skokie IL Jigar & Jagruti Dagli Carol Stream IL 66 Jain Temples/Centers in USA 113,000 Approximate Jain population in USA (vs. 6 million Jains out of 1.1 billion Indians in India) 25 of 50 USA states have Jain Temples/Centers JAINISM TIMELINE (Courtesy of Mr. Yogendra Jain, Boston, MA) Did You Know? Life Membership Fees Age 18 to 60 years: $401 Age 60+ years: $101 YJA Convention The Young Jains of America (YJA) Convention is almost here! Please visit for more information about this unforgettable weekend. Participants between the ages of 14 and 29 can register for July 3 rd to 6 th, 2008 to be held at the Lincolnshire Marriott hotel in Lincolnshire, Illinois. The deadline to register is almost over! For the convention, we are looking for adult (age 30+) and youth (must be registered) volunteers (need 150+ volunteers) at this time. Please contact hospitality@yja.org at your earliest convenience if you are available anytime between July 3 rd and July 6 th to help us! Temple Hours Weekdays: 8AM - 8PM Weekend: 7AM - 9PM Registration Volunteer Group: A formal Yahoo group jsmc_volunteer has been created to develop a JSMC Volunteer force. Please come forward and register your at jsmc_volunteerssubscribe@yahoogroups.com Please register your address at to receive JSMC Newsletter & Announcements via . Tithi Reminder Sunday, May 4, 2008 Vad Chaudas Friday, May 9, 2008 Sud Pacham Monday, May 12, 2008 Sud Atham Monday, May 19, 2008 Sud Chaudas Wednesday, May 28, 2008 Vad Atham General Information Car Pool Members are requested to consider car pool during up all future major events. Weekly Activities Monthly Activities Every Sunday First Tuesday 9:15AM Digambar Puja 8:00PM 10:00PM EC Meeting Every Saturday Third Tuesday 9:00AM Yoga 9:00PM 10:00PM BOT Meeting Every Wednesday First Sunday 7:00PM Yoga 11:00AM - Navkaar Mantra Jaap First &Third Sunday Monthly Classes 11:15AM 12:15PM - Shrimad Rajchandra First & Third Sunday Bhakti 11:00AM 1:00PM Pathshala Third Sunday Second Sunday 11:00AM Snatra Puja 11:30AM 12:30PM Hindi Classes Daily Activities 8:00AM Pakshaal & Chandan Puja 7:00PM Aarti & Mangal Divo Facility Rental & Religious Activities Please contact Arvind Shah or Tejas Shah for facility rental & religious activities such as Puja/Poojan. Advertisement JSMC welcomes a limited number of advertisements for newsletter and banner display during various events. Please contact Arvind Shah or Hemant Shah for details on advertisement guidelines. 10

11 Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago 435 N. Route 59, Bartlett, IL 60103, USA Phone: (630) / (630) Website: Pledge / Donation Form Personal Information Name Phone (H/W/C) Address Member ID # City State ZIP Payment Information Method of Payment Credit Card # Expiration Date Signature Date I want to donate for Fixed Pledge Item and/or Gheeboli. Choose an item from the available list Item Name Amount I want to donate for General Donation and/or Interest-Free Loan General Donation Amount Interest-Free Loan amount (minimum $10,000) I want to become an Executive Sponsor Patron (minimum $100,000) VIP (minimum $150,000) Executive VIP (minimum $300,000) BENEFACTOR (minimum $500,000) Thank You JSMC is a non-profit tax exempt organization. Tax ID: JSMC has a 501(c)(3) designation from the agency. Gifts and 11 donations to JSMC are tax deductible to the extent allowed.

12 Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago P.O. Box 8326, Bartlett, IL Phone: (630) Website: A non-profit tax-exempt organization Presorted First Class U.S. Postage PAID Villa Park, IL Permit No. 166 Newsletter April Chairman s Message 2. Upcoming Major Events 3. Recurring Events 4. Construction Update 5. 1 st Quarter Financial Summary 6. Fund Raising Appeal 7. Quarterly Executive Committee Report 8. Acknowledgements 9. General Announcements 10. General Information 11. Pledge / Donation Form 943 W. Golf Road Schaumburg, IL image@imexstones.com Showroom Phone: Shailesh Shah: (c) Ripan Sheth: (c) Fax: YOUR ONE STOP SHOP * Granite Countertops and Kitchen Cabinets * Carpet, Tile and Hardwood FLOORS * Remodeling and NEW Construction 12