APPSF Report 2007
“APPSF DAY”
Proclaimed in the City of Miami
by the Mayor.
APPNA-South
Florida Chapter (APPSF) is a professional, secular, and non-political
organization. Our main goal is to bring the community together along
with keeping up with our own professional activities.
The organization provides a platform in the South Florida community. We,
Pakistani-origin citizens should be an active part of our adopted land.
In order to achieve this, the community must first be strong. Our
community will be strong, if we as individuals play our part first.
Let’s pool our resources and help our community collectively with
sincere and open hearts. For, if our hearts are in the right place,
everything is possible.
APPSF, although in infancy, had a very busy and rewarding year in
2007. The membership increased and the membership along with the help of
the community was able to bring about a number of activities.
We were able to hold multiple General Body Meetings over the year
which proved to be very productive for the organization. Medical
Lectures /Dinner arranged by Dr. Sabiha Rehman were all very
well-attended and informative events.
On Social and welfare front, our support in the relief efforts
for Earthquake in Pakistan and the Katrina victims has been the shining
moments of this organization. One of the projects APPSF is supporting,
is the Skill cum Education,
ONE RUPEE SCHOOL
in
Khuda Ki
Basti
in Surjani town, Karachi. During the past Holiday season, our Toy Drive,
headed by Dr.Iftikhar Hanif and his team was very well appreciated by
the young and sick patients of Miami Childrens’ Hospital.
The innovative program, , “Ek
Sham Urdu ke Naam”,
a tribute to Urdu, in the
spring, was a great success. The program highlight was a small Urdu
play, “Pehchaan” by our children.
It depicted the importance of keeping Urdu alive in our lives so
that our children will not forget their language and heritage.
The APPSF Second Annual
Youth Debate was held on May 22, 2007 at the Broward Community
College Campus. The topic for the High School debaters was “ Islamic
Institutions have failed the American Muslim Youth”. The topic for the
Middle school youth was “Is America ready for a woman president”.
Indeed, the debate was very engaging.
The first ever APPNA Youth Debate 2007
and Participation of our youths
in different SAYA activities in our Annual APPNA Meeting in Orlando,
under the leadership of President of SAYA, Najia Hamid was outstanding.
The APPSF Annual function 2007 was held on the first weekend of
November at Marriott Hotels and Resort, Miami, FL. The turn-out was
great with over 450 (in state and out of state) guests attending this
wonderful event.
On Friday, November 2nd, the Medical Lecture/Dinner was held
at the Bay Grill Marriott. The speaker for the evening was Dr. Suhail
Punjwani who delivered a lecture on the “Management of Schizophrenia”.
The APPSF general body meeting was conducted by Dr. Rahat Abbas, General
Secretary of APPSF. Dr. Zafar
Hamid, MD, President APPSF encouraged all the physicians to become APPNA
members and support the parent organization APPNA.
The Members and the Guests
enjoyed a very family oriented musical evening later in the evening.
On Saturday, November 3rd, 2007
in Annual Function the guests entered the Marriott’s Grand Ballroom, to
a presentation of APPSF last year’s events in pictures with elegant
Sitar music. To highlight the importance of being part of the adopted
land as the productive community of USA while keeping their heritage, a
DVD presentation depicted with wonderful nostalgic and patriotic
pictures of Pakistan and USA with moving music complementing the
contents. The audience enjoyed the presentations.
Dr.
I. Zafar Hamid, President of APPSF welcomed the elected officials from
the office of Congesswoman
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, of 18th district of Florida, representatives of the
Mayor of Miami City and the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, officers from
the Miami office of Homeland Security, members of APPSF, SMC graduates
from across the country, their families and friends. He spoke about the
need to provide the environment for physicians to get together. He also
emphasized the need to bring the Physicians and the community together.
On
behalf of APPSF, he received the proclamations from the office of Mayor
of Dade County and from the office of Mayor of Miami. Both Proclamations
appreciated and recognized the services of APPSF in regards to social,
medical and community projects. Manuel A. Diaz, Mayor of the City of
Miami declared Saturday, November 3rd as
“APPSF
DAY” in the City of Miami and it is recorded in the city history
books forever.
The leading Urdu singer in North America, Mr. Javed Raza was
welcomed with thunderous applause and in return he captivated the
audience with his wonderful melodious voice. The female singer from
California was a big surprise of the evening. She sang superbly and
harmonized elegantly with Javid Raza in all the songs.
All through the evening, the guest enjoyed the steady supply of
Starbucks Coffee and Tea. The Kulfi and Paan was again a pleasant
surprise available for the guest throughout the evening. From 10 pm
until 1 am in the morning, the duet enthralled the audience with their
performance.
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