Monday, September 2, 2019

Nepali Association of Oregon (NAO) Hosts 17th North West Pacific Picnic

Rabin Man Shakya

Portland, Sept 2 (Nepal Oregon News): There is no doubt that picnics are a part of important activities of the community organizations. Picnics give  people an opportunity to stay away from the hectic daily chores for a day and also an opportunity to communicate and interact with fellow community members.

An annual north west Nepali pacific picnic  was organized by Nepali Association of Oregon (NAO) on Saturday, Aug 31, 2019 at Blue Lake Park in Portland.

The picnic was attended by the Nepalese community members coming from Oregon, Washington and  BC Canada. The community picnic provided an opportunity for Nepalese to enjoy an afternoon and evening of Nepali style lunch and dinner.

According to Bharat Baskota of NAO, total number of people taking part at the pacific north west Nepali picnic exceeded 350 in which 100 participants were from Seattle, Washington and 33 from BC Canada. There were guests from some other states of the USA too and also all the way from Nepal as well.

Our community picnic was a great opportunity to celebrate our Nepali value, Nepali food and traditions, one of the picnic participants told Nepal Oregon News.

This fun Nepalese community event featured volleyball game, soccer, golf, kids games and entertainment programs.

Other Nepalese community organizations of Oregon also lent a helping hand for successfully organizing the picnic event: NRNA NCC USA Oregon Chapter by providing 125 pounds of goat meat, Nepaa Chhen by providing 75 pounds of Aalu Sandheko, Sano Nepal by providing 400 cans of soda.

Also on the occasion, annual pacific north west regional publication "Jamghat" was released jointly by the presidents of the Nepali Association of Oregon (NAO), Nepal Seattle Society (NSS) and Nepal Cultural Society British Columbia (NCSBC).

"Jamghat" which is a bilingual magazine in English and Nepali offers a wide spectrum in terms of community news, poems, articles and messages of the respective chairs of NAO, NSS and NCSBC.

On the occasion, NAO president Bharat Baskota handed over cup and certificates to winners of the sports competitions, $ 50 or more cash donors for the picnic and volunteers of the  picnic event.

The picnic program was also addressed by Daya Shakya, editor of "Jamghat", Bharat Baskota of NAO, Madhav Bhandari of Nepal Seattle Society and Pratima Parajuli of Nepal Cultural Society British Columbia,  Mohan Gurung, Commissioner for Asia and Pacific Region at the Governor of the State of Washington, Harvey Blustain, president of Eugene-Kathmandu Sister City Association.

Honorary Consul of Nepal to Seattle A C Sherpa and general secretary of NRNA NCC USA Pashupati Pandey also addressed the program.

Given the limited resources and time, the regional picnic - which was first  organized in Vancouver, Canada in 2002 - has been able to draw more and more community members from Oregon, Washington and BC Canada.

Well, the fact that the pacific north west picnic has  continuously been organized for last 17 years is a testimony of friendship, harmony and fraternal ties among the Nepalese communities in the US states of Oregon and Washington and BC Canada. This kind of picnic is organized once a year by NAO, NSS and NCSBC respectively.

Later in the evening, the same day, a cultural entertainment program  with second and late dinner was organized for the picnic participants at Nekusing Memorial Theater in Portland by US World Class Taekwondo Hollywood and Nepaa Chhen.

Beautiful and attractive dances, songs, poems and jokes were the part of the evening program.

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