To remember the victims of the August 5 shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, the Central Jersey Sikh Association has scheduled a memorial service during its Sunday prayers on August 12. The memorial will be held at the Washington Township gurdwara located at 116 North Main Street in Windsor. Call 609-516-9311 or visit www.gurdwara-cjsa.org for more information.
Harcharan Singh Gill, president of the Central Jersey Sikh Association, said that regular Sunday services (beginning at 10 a.m.) will be followed by comments from invited guests at 12:30, including elected officials from West Windsor, Plainsboro, and surrounding areas as well as local chiefs of police. Congressman Rush Holt and Senator Robert Menendez were also among the invitees.
Gill is a former West Windsor resident who now lives in Robbinsville. He says many attendees of the Windsor gurdwara live in West Windsor and Plainsboro. The association’s council of trustees has been proactive with evening meetings since the tragedy occured, and they have decided to start a fund to assist victims of the Wisconsin shooting as well as their families.
West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, Council President Kamal Khanna, and Plainsboro Deputy Mayor Neil Lewis all plan to attend the service. Plainsboro Mayor Peter Cantu expressed regrets that he will be out of town on Sunday. However, Lewis said he is prepared to speak and deliver the message that Plainsboro stands behind all members of its community and surrounding areas.
“This memorial is an important part of our community’s healing, and we certainly plan to be a part of any service that is dedicated to ensuring a better understanding of one another and a sense of security for all members of the community,” he said.
Plainsboro Committeeman Narun Nabi, chair of the Human Relations Council, said in an interview that at its August 9 meeting the council would discuss a campaign or event in response to the tragedy, with cultural awareness as the goal.
