The Citizens Foundation Colorado Chapter Fundraising Gala
A Pakistan Link Report
The growing Pakistani American community in the mile high city of Denver, Colorado recently added its own chapter of The Citizens Foundation (TCF). This effort was launched with a glamorous, tastefully done, and well attended inaugural fundraising gala event at the picturesque Denver Botanical Gardens on February 26, 2023.
TCF-USA now has close to 40 Chapters in the United States, all with the aim of helping children of struggling families in Pakistan gain access to quality schools and life-changing education.
According to the TCF-USA website its Colorado Chapter Team members are Afsheen Ahmad (Team Lead), Eric Temple, Kiran Wasim, Rafia Faridi, Mahvush Ansar, Mahvish Usman, Salmeen Hussain Pasha, Shaireen Khawaja, Farri Khan and Zedi Qureshi. For contact information, there is a Chapter Facebook page and all interested parties who would like to participate in this effort can email them at colorado@tcfusa.org . All will agree that amongst the need for human assistance in Pakistan, helping to educate its people, especially of the female gender, should remain a top priority.
The formalities started with Eric Temple, Officer – Grants and New Initiatives at The Citizens Foundation, USA (TCF-USA) and TCF USA Colorado Chapter board member welcoming everyone. This was followed by the invocation, a recitation of Qur’an by Alina Modak followed by its translation by Abdullah Hassan. Humza Pasha played Qaumi Tarana (Pakistan’s national anthem) on guitar along with our own Star Spangled Banner while TCF slides were displayed on screen.
Next up, TCF-USA’s Founder (May 2002) and Director of Development, Danial Noorani who flew in from Chicago for this event, added his wisdom and experience for everyone’s benefit. Noorani elaborated on the mission of the TCF, the progress that it has made, different initiatives that it has taken and the importance of our support in all these areas. The number of children out of school in Pakistan is alarming and something really needs to be done about the disturbing situation. And that requires infrastructure and resource development, as well as, fiscal assistance.
Following Noorani Sahib, TCF Colorado Board Member Zedi Qureshi spoke and reflected on his visit to a TCF school in Karachi along with his brother Yusuf B. Qureshi (an artist and designer in Pakistan). Seeing TCF perform in Pakistan can be an inspiring experience. And speaking of inspiring, actually hearing from young people like Asad Sajid a TCF Alumnus, an IBA graduate in Business Administration, and a current graduate student at Stevens Institute of Technology pursuing a master’s in business Intelligence and Analytics was amazing. He spoke about his journey as a TCF student who ended up as a Fulbright Scholar in the United States.
Since no event should be without entertainment and we sure had some: Jeremy McLellan who is no stranger to Pakistan and the Pakistani American community was here with his unique comedy. One would not call his performance an “Act” because he knows us so well that it can hurt! His interfaith and Pakistan-inspired comic wisdom is now quite well-known and he presented his material really well. In America people drive on the right side of the road. In Pakistan they drive on all sides!
TCF USA Colorado Chapter Lead Afsheen Ahmad who launched this effort in October 2022 spoke next. Encouraged by Faraz (Farri) Khan, TCF USA Treasurer, (who has recently moved to Colorado) and with support from her longtime friends, a Colorado TCF Board was formed. She thanked all the guests, supporters, volunteers, donors and acknowledged the sponsors of this fundraising gala. Certificates were presented to all the youth volunteers. She also furnished information on the funds raised by individual youth (Thank You) and also shared the amount raised tonight. It was a sizable amount (Mashallah).
Other activities of the evening included a live auction of items donated including artwork by local Colorado artist Kiran Wasim and calligraphy by Houston, Texas artist Hina Chaudhry. Also auctioned were signed Cricket bats, balls, and a jersey by the current Pakistani Cricket Team members, fashion by Yusuf B. Qureshi, a mountain cabin stay by Zedi Qureshi, make up and skincare by Sana Hasan and Amna Rafiq, and hand-made carpet by Ferah Aziz. Food was catered by Hyderabad House, florals by Events With Mahvish and photography was provided by Lubna Jamal Photography.
