THE PRESIDENT MESSAGE

The Brampton Tamil Seniors Association (BTSA) was founded in 2013 with the support of Mr. Amleethan Xavier and five dedicated members: Ms. Gertrude Santhiyapillai, the late Mr. Ram Nagalingam, Mr. Nadarajah Thevarajan, Mr. Sathasivam Vigneswaran, and Dr. Kandiah Rathakrishnan. In the early weeks, Mr. Xavier generously covered our hall rent, enabling our initial gatherings.

Subsequently, Dr. Rathakrishnan and Mr. David Rajaratnam served as presidents until I took office in May 2024. The Brampton City Council's resolution to provide free hall rent for affiliated associations from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm, from September to June. Significantly supported our growth.

In June 2014, we registered as a not-for-profit corporation. With support from our MPs, MPPs, the City Mayor, and councillors, we secured grants from the Provincial Government (Ontario Seniors Community Grant), Federal Government (New Horizons Seniors Grant), Brampton (ABF City Grant), and other sources. We offer a variety of classes including musical keyboard, English, computer, yoga, meditation, voice training for singers, handcrafts, knitting, and sewing.

Our membership has grown steadily, now boasting over 500 members, with 150 regularly participating on Mondays and Thursdays at The Gore Meadows Community Centre. The primary purpose of our association is to alleviate isolation and loneliness among seniors in Brampton. With adult children at work and younger family members at school, our seniors often struggle to find meaningful ways to fill their time.

Our members enthusiastically attend weekly meetings, engage in activities, socialize, learn to play keyboards, and play games. Their contributions enable us to celebrate various events, including New Year, Tamil Heritage Marapu Thingal, Canada Day, Saraswathy Pooja, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Mulliavaikkal Remembrance Day, our BTSA anniversary celebrations, Deepavali, and Christmas.

On April 29, 2024, I was elected President by a large majority. We continue to have an excellent Board of Directors, committed to listening to our members and ensuring their daily activities keep them active and engaged. While many decisions are member-driven, the Board will also make some key decisions. We aim to collaborate with other organizations to foster cultural understanding.

Our goals for 2024 and 2025 are:

1. Plant a tree in Brampton with the city’s assistance to support our environment.

2. Clean a park once during the summer.

3. Raise funds among members to donate $10,000 to Brampton Hospital in 2024 and another $10,000 in 2025.

Raghavan Ramanathan

President, Brampton Tamil Seniors Association