Boy Scouts, Religious Observances Acknowledged By Township Council

Township Boy Scouts and their leaders were commended Oct. 10 for their help in the township’s secure shredding event, which was held in July.

Local Boy Scouts were commended for their help in a township event, and two religious observances were commemorated Oct. 10 by the Township Council.

The Scouts, Alex Cocuzza, Sam Makowski, William Smith and Kyle Smith and Scout Leaders Dave Cocuzza, Jim Makowski and Randolph Szabo were commended for their participation in Operation Secure Shred in July. Operation Secure Shred is a program through which township residents can safely dispose of sensitive paperwork.

The Hindu observance of Diwali – the Festival of Lights – and the 200th birth anniversary of the founder of the Baha’i faith were also commemorated by the council.

Township Councilman Rajiv Prasad addresses members of the twnship’s Indian community Oct. during a commemoration of Diwali.

Celebrants place lit small oil lamps around their home and “pray for health, knowledge and peace,” according to the proclamation read at the meeting by Township Councilman Rajiv Prasad (D-At Large).

Diwali celebrants “believe that rows of lamps symbolize the light within the individual that rids the soul of the darkness of ignorance,” according to the proclamation.

Many Hindus celebrate the day as the beginning of the new year, according to the proclamation.

A number of representatives from the township’s Indian community were on hand to witness the proclamation.

Surendra Tiwari of Bunker Hill Road thanked the Mayor and Council for the proclamation, which, he said, “honors the diversity of our town, the diversity makes us stronger through the synergy it creates. So I thank you for promoting the synergy and diversity trough this proclamation.”

Tiwari said there are three tenets to Diwali: “Take me from untruth to truth, take me from mortality to immortality, from darkness, take us to light.”

Shirin Poustchi of the Baha’i Community of Franklin Township addresses the council at the Oct. 10 meeting.

“It simply means, just give me the light of wisdom,” he said. “It is this bright light which pushes humanity forward.”

“I just think Franklin is a richer place for hearing things like this, sharing things like that, learning from each other,” Mayor Phil Kramer said. “Thank you for the light.”

Shirin Poustchi of the Baha’i Community of Franklin Township accepted the proclamation honoring Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Baha’i faith.

“We are very honored to receive this proclamation,” she said. “Baha’i is all around the world. From Cambodia to Kenya to Canada to Chile we’ll be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh this month.”

“We feel blessed to be in a community that embraces this momentous occasion,” she said. “The fact that the township here officially recognizes diverse celebrations like this and like Diwali is really a huge step toward the type of unity and community building that the Baha’is strive to work toward. We’re thrilled to live in a town that celebrates all of its people and we hope to continue partnering with its leadership to work for a better future.”

Kramer said the Baha’i community is “another culture enriching us.”

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