The Foundation of Indian Americans (FIA) – New England marked Veterans Day with pride and gratitude through a special celebration held in collaboration with the American Legion Post 234 and Boros Care for Troops (BC4T) at the American Legion Post in Northborough. Taking place on Sunday, November 9th, the event featured a heartfelt tribute to veterans, a vibrant community parade, and the launch of FIA’s New England Veterans Food Drive.
The celebration began with FIA team members joining the Veterans Day Parade, where a giant American flag was flown along Main Street. The parade was led by World War II Army vehicles, followed by local school children, families, and community organizations—all marching in honor of the nation’s heroes.
Following the parade, a special ceremony was held at the American Legion office to inaugurate FIA’s Food Donation Drive for the BC4T Veterans Food Pantry. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by World War 2nd Veteran Frank Brown, Karen Brewster, President of BC4T; Max Strickland, Adjutant of Post 0234; Edgar Blanchette; and community leaders Ram Gupta and Sivendra-Sita Singh & Anand Kumar Tiwari.
Community members and dignitaries in attendance included Manny and Lovely Singh, Prabhu G, and FIA Executive Members Rakesh Kavsari, Amol Penshanwar, Chanukya Rao, and Hiten Bhawsar.
During the celebration, children Joshika Prabhugee, Tisha Singh, Saisa Sharma, Abhuday Singh, Ranuday Singh, Shanaya Dey Soni, Parth Agarwal, Vaishnavi Bhawsar, Pragna KavsariRakesh, Amika Tiwari, and Aayushi Das Gupta joyfully served pizza to all the veterans, adding a warm and personal touch to the event. The young volunteers’ enthusiasm brought smiles to the faces of many attending veterans, creating a memorable moment of community togetherness.
Abhishek Singh, President of FIA New England, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the veterans and the BC4T team for their service and partnership.
“It is an honor for FIA to stand alongside our veterans and support them through this food drive. We thank BC4T and American Legion Post 234 for this collaboration that brings our communities closer in gratitude and service,” Singh said.
Karen Brewster, President of BC4T, commended FIA New England for organizing the food drive and supporting veterans in need.
“FIA’s efforts show the power of community and compassion. We deeply appreciate their dedication to helping our veterans,” Brewster noted.
The event also gave local children a chance to interact with World War II veterans, asking questions and learning about their experiences firsthand.
The FIA New England Veterans Food Drive will continue in the coming weeks, collecting non-perishable food items for the BC4T Veterans Pantry to assist veterans and their families across the region.
