Donate Senior adults celebrate Deepavali, Festival of Lights Members experienced one of the most joyous festivals of India November 17, 2021 Last week, members of Ventana by Buckner, a Buckner senior living community in Dallas, celebrated Deepavali, or Diwali, an Indian festival of lights. There are five members living at Ventana who are from India who wanted to share one of the most joyful Indian festivals with their friends and neighbors. "Deepavali is the biggest, happiest festival so no matter where we are, we make sure it happens,” said Rekha Mehendale, a member at Ventana. “We wanted to showcase Indian culture to our friends here at Ventana.” Rekha and her husband Hari have lived at Ventana since February 2020. They came to America in 1968 for her husband’s job as a scientist and have not been able to visit India for the last 15 years, so celebrating Deepavali is one way to bring a little piece of home to where they are living. “We came to the United States almost 52 years ago and have made it our second home,” Rekha said. “Living in America brings the fun of participating in traditional American holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and Independence Day. At the same time, we continue to celebrate our Indian festivals as in India. So you see, we are indeed blessed with the best of two worlds.” Due to scheduling issues, they held the celebration last week, a bit later than it is traditionally celebrated in India. Members gathered to enjoy authentic Indian music, dancing, henna art, saree draping, diya and a delicious three-course meal. “This was a special celebration of love and friends,” said Lauren Saloom, director of lifestyle services at Ventana. “It’s truly breathtaking the amount of effort, hard work and dedication that went into this evening. It was very special and it was so special to me because it’s special to them. We really wanted to create opportunities for all our members to learn more about their neighbors.” A Special Offer for Our Readers: Already feeling the holiday stress? We don't want you to miss out on sweet moments with Jesus. That’s why we’ve put together the FREE digital 2021 Buckner Advent Guide and Calendar. Every day of Advent will celebrate the themes of hope, peace, love and joy through a short devotion.. Just tell us where to send your free digital Advent Guide and calendar below: SubscribeRSS Add a Comment PLEASE SLIDE THE ITEM TO THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE (WHAT'S THIS?) Locked LEAVE COMMENT Go Back GET UPLIFTING STORIES OF HOW YOU CAN SHINE HOPE IN THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD! We're excited to share with you all the ways you can shine hope to vulnerable children and families around the world. We invite you to stay connected with us while also growing in your own faith. Click below to get the latest news, updates and invitations to exclusive events from Buckner. And, we'll send you spiritual encouragement through our weekly Faith Focus devotion. You won't find these stories and resources anywhere else! Get the Updates 700 North Pearl St. Suite 1200 Dallas TX 75201 1-800-442-4800 Email facebook twitter instagram pinterest youtube HOME About Who We Are Financial Accountability Leadership Careers BOLD Contact Donate FAMILY PATHWAYS About FAQ Blog & Stories Contact SENIOR LIVING & CARE About Lifestyle Services FAQ Blog & Stories ADOPTION & FOSTER CARE Adoption Foster Care Post-Adoption Services Resources Blog & Stories Get Started Contact FAMILY HOPE CENTERS About FAQ Blog & Stories SHOES FOR ORPHAN SOULS® About Host a Shoe Drive Volunteer Deliver Shoes Resources Partners Blog & Stories © 2021 Buckner International. · Powered by The A Group Privacy Policy Notice of Nondiscrimination Social Media Guidelines Guías para Redes Sociales de Buckner