Post CWG, big party awaits volunteers

NEW DELHI - On Saturday, when Commonwealth Games volunteers went to the Organising Committee headquarters to collect their certificates, a pleasant surprise awaited them - a big get-together has been planned for the 20,000-odd volunteers.

Aarti Sahay, a student who volunteered in the Games and was deputed at the S.P. Mukherjee swimming complex, said: “A number of us got SMSs from the Organising Committee that we will be getting our certificates today (Saturday). When we went to the office, we were told that there will also be a party organised for us for our efforts.”

The certificate of appreciation has the signatures of Games Federation president Michael Fennel, Organising Committee secretary general Lalit Bhanot and Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

Sudisha Jain, a homemaker who also volunteered for the Games, said: “I am so glad that I volunteered… it was a fulfilling job. And when the closing ceremony finally culminated the Games, I felt so proud that we could organise a successful games.”

Harsh and Sahil Khan, two friends who wore their volunteers’ uniforms unlike most others to the headquarters to collect the certificates, said: “The past two weeks have been gruelling, but were very fulfilling too. Besides everything else, we made some great friends who, we hope, will be pals for life”.

“We are now looking forward to the party,” they said.

An Organising Committee official said: “We are yet to decide a place for the party since the entire batch of 20,000 volunteers have to be accommodated. But we will definitely organise it in another two-three days’ time.”