LOS ANGELES, June 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Healthfully, an enterprisehealthcaresolutions provider that addresses multiple health and wellnesstouchpointsin the patient journey, andNextGate, the global leader in healthcare enterprise identification,today announced a strategic partnership to meet increasing consumer demand for reliable access to personal health data.

Healthcare organizations rely on Healthfully's comprehensive platform to simplify the health experience for all involved.Its ability to provide communication between caregivers and patients, deliver targeted health programs, and much more all depend on accurate patient data from a variety of sources. By integrating NextGate's cloud-based Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI), Healthfully's personal health and wellness record gains robust patient identity matching technology.

NextGate's market-leading EMPI solution, which manages patient identities for more than two-thirds of the U.S. population, seamlessly links data across the continuum for a trusted, unified health record.

"Incomplete or inaccurate data in one's health record can be detrimental to patient safety and a major impediment to patient empowerment," said Andy Aroditis, CEO of NextGate. "We commend Healthfully for prioritizing patient identification as a key component to consumer engagement and data access so individuals can make the most informed decisions about their health."

"Our solution integrates, clinical, social, wellness and patient-generated information," said Paul Viskovich, CEO of Healthfully. "Leveraging NextGate's EMPI as part of the Healthfully platform will give our users access to trusted, high-quality health data for informed decision-making, better outcomes, and a greater patient experience."

About Healthfully

Healthfully simplifies the healthcare experience for everyone, so patients can get the care they need, the support they want, and the inspiration to achieve better health. The company provides enterprise organizations with a white-labeled, digital consumer health platform to engage and empower people on their health and wellness journey. The platform blends compelling and valuable functions, intelligence, and content for patients, consumers, and communities, creating a great patient experience and helping achieve the goals of value-based care and population health management. For more information, please visit http://www.healthfully.io.

About NextGate

With over 200 customers in four countries, NextGate is the global leader in healthcare enterprise identification. Committed to helping organizations overcome the clinical, operational, and financial challenges that result from duplicate records and disparate data, our full suite of identity matching solutions connects the entire healthcare ecosystem to drive critical improvements in quality, efficiency, and safety. NextGate's market-leading EMPI currently manages 300 million lives and is deployed by the nation's most successful healthcare systems and health information exchanges. For more information, visit http://www.nextgate.com.

Media Contacts:

Don Fallati Marketing, Healthfully Inc. don@healthfully.io 914-833-9157

Stephanie Fraser Director of Communications and Media Relations, NextGate c: 734-233-1483 | o: 734-399-9336 stephanie.fraser@nextgate.com

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Healthfully and NextGate Partner to Give Patients Safe, Reliable Access to Personal Health Data - thepress.net

June 3, 2020

By: Leslie Pollard, Oakwood University

On May 31, 2020, Oakwood University president Leslie Pollard wrote the following letter to the schools community following the death of George Floyd. Oakwood University is an historically Black Seventh-day Adventist school in Huntsville, Alabama, United States.Editors

Since I first shared my feelings about recent eventsin our nationon last Thursday morning [May 28, 2020] during the InsideOakwood radio segment,Ihavecontinued toreflect on the tragic circumstances that led to the death of Mr. George Floyd.The only words and emotions that come to mindareanger, outrage, andexhaustion.Exhaustion because we can only wonder how longwe will asBlackpeople have to grapple with the incessant devaluation ofBlack lives.

Anger, because on a personal note I am angry at the relentless psychological and physical assaults upon people of color. Yes, I am angry the one emotion that is usedby society to stereotypically dismiss the voices of angry black men and angry black women.I am angry about Mr. Floyds murder.And Im outraged when Ifeelforever doomed to wonder whether black young men will survive a routine traffic stop.Im outraged,wondering whetheryoung Blackwomen willbe safe in their own homes or strolling through Central Park.It is almost impossibletobean African -American andnothave, or to not know someone who has had negative encounters involving race everything from being followed in stores, tobeing pulled over while driving a luxury car, or driving in a certain area, tobeingignored indepartmentstoresbecause you dont fit thewealthprofile of otherpatrons...and the list goes on.

But in the wake of Mr. Floyds unnecessary andsenselessdeath, I am also determined.I am determined that the Oakwood community will continue to be a center of empowerment and witness to the lives and work of a generation of student standard bearers. Students who will, in the words of Jesus love theleast of these (Mat. 25:40). I am determined that the faith that has guided OakwoodUniversitysince 1896, and the cultural legacy handed to us as a Historically Black College and University, will continueto produce generations of Black attorneys,physicians,social workers,dentists,teachers, mediaand business professionals thatcombatthe ills ofour people perpetuatedby systems of oppression.Amidgreatturmoilwe must remainfocusedonour continued intellectual and moral development. I am determined that the least of these will be able to financially accessan Oakwoodeducation, so that from the blood-soaked sod of this former slave plantation, a new generation of moral activists will be launched.Greatthinkers will leaveOakwoodssacred groundstonot simply make a dollar,but to make a difference. Mr. Floyd, and all of the Mr. Floyds of the past 400 years, deserve this commitment from our institution. Moral passivityis notan option!

The Oakwood University community extendsour sympathiesto the family of Mr. George Floyd, and all of the other families who have been touched by the tragedy of unexpected and unnecessary death.We further call upon the thousands of devoted law-enforcement officers, who everyday serve and protect communities, to decry andjoin efforts toroot out this violence perpetrated by bad actors in blue from the police forces across our land.And to the parents who entrust their treasure to Oakwood University, be assured that our impactful work with your young people has only just begun. To the administrators, faculty, staff, and alumni of Oakwood University, we commend you for standing strong on behalf of the ministry of justice on our campusevery day.

Finally, to the students of Oakwood University, be it resolved, that youare thegeneration who will pick up the torch handed to you by the pioneers of civil justice, and we who lead and serve at Oakwood will facilitate your indispensable work and witness. This is your moment!Let no one tell you that the work of standing for the right, though the heavens fall is incompatible with the life of faith! Those voices, however sincere, are misguided, because He has [already] shown you, O man, what is good.And what does the Lord require of thee,but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?(Mic. 6:6-8). May God bless you, and may God bless the transformative work and mission of Oakwood University!

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'I am determined Oakwood will continue to be a center of empowerment and witness.' - Adventist Review

NEW DELHI: Education across levels is the best form of empowerment that can be extended to women to positively impact the state of their being, their status and position in the society and build a solid foundation for their holistic growth and development. With an aim to create an ecosystem that empowers women and equips them with knowledge, skills and self-confidence, UPES has declared 2020 as the Year of Womens Empowerment and has launched Shakti.

Despite constituting 48 per cent of Indias population, women are often underrepresented in institutions of higher learning, particularly in STEM courses. Lack of financial resources is one of the major reasons that prevents girl students from pursuing quality higher education and fulfilling their dreams. To equip girls with quality education and training to boost their participation across levels, the University has, among other key initiatives, also announced an unconditional 25% scholarship on tuition fees of complete program duration to all female students applying for all under-graduate and postgraduate courses starting with the session of 2020.

Students also benefit from a cutting-edge learning management system, Engineering+, Coursera, advanced labs, learned faculty, international exposure, and top-notch recruiters. With over 150 specialisations taught in the eight schools of UPES, students can easily opt for the course of their choice.

Beyond the scholarship, UPES has also been working towards empowering women of all age groups through its CSR wing. It has undertaken several initiatives that help women focus on their development through formal education, skill training, and personality grooming. The Shakti program part of the Shakti initiative trains women in adaptive skills, business and professional communication, emotional intelligence, and team management. Five modules, each meticulously designed for holistic development, cover areas of personal assessment, leadership training, and personal branding.

Having declared 2020 as the Year of Women Empowerment, UPES is committed to providing world-class, industry-ready education and an inclusive social and academic environment that inspires girls to strive for their ambitions, lead by example, and break the glass ceiling.

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UPES has given more Shakti to all girl students with 25 percent scholarship - Careers360

Sponsored content: Thank You for the Rain, a film about a Kenyan farmers struggle, has helped to catalyse change nationally and internationally

A documentary, which follows a struggling family fighting the impacts of climate change, has become a case study for how a films impact can bring about a global movement and a real change within communities.

Released in 2017, Thank You for the Rain is the personal story of a Kenyan farmers journey from hardship to empowerment in the rapidly changing climate of his home.

When documentary filmmaker Julia Dahr approached Kisilu Musya to see if he would be interested in telling his story, he agreed, but with one condition; he wanted to shoot parts of the film himself in video-diary format.

In one scene, Kisilu examines the damage done to his land after a bad storm and the camera lingers on him; the other season we were crying, no rain now we are talking of flood. Everything is being contradicted.

With interjections like this, Kisilu becomes a compelling narrator throughout the film. This gives the documentary a far more personal touch than most climate change films and inspires audiences by linking climate action to powerful human themes of community and family.

With time and after training I learnt that there was something I could do to adapt and contribute to a better planet, which is what inspired me to start planting trees and reach out to my community members, said Kisilu.

I agreed to be filmed because I understood that that was how my story and the work I am doing could reach everyone around the world and inspire future generations, he added.

Kisilus farm, where he grows mango trees and crops like cassava, relies on increasingly unpredictable weather for irrigation. The rest of his community has been facing similar climate-induced challenges, but it was Kisilu who helped them understand the problem and explore solutions.

Kisilu began mobilizing his community through small group conversations and training sessions on climate-smart agriculture. These progressed slowly at first, but with the help of the film, he has since turned these local activities into a national movement across Kenya. The film has been screened in hundreds of secondary schools, at many community gatherings, and in several national government ministries.

Having received a $325,000 grant from the Climate Justice Resilience Fund, Docubox, the East African Documentary Film Fund, has been working to expand the documentarys impact and social change strategy, using it as a springboard for action, both on policy advocacy and grassroots initiatives.

The films story tackles one of the biggest global human threats of our time, which is also an injustice, said Emily Wanja, Thank You for the Rains impact producer, who has worked to implement and run the advocacy campaign based on the film.

Our campaign goal has been to sustainably manage climate change and achieve climate justice, as those who have done the least in contributing to the effects of climate change suffer the most she added.

The campaign has aimed to build on Kisilus initial work in his community and bring grassroot climate resilience to the national and global climate agenda. In addition to screenings by Docubox in Kenya and nearby Tanzania, the film has been screened in over 50 countries.

Kisilu has spoken at both Cop21 and Cop23 two UN annual climate change summits as well as at TED in 2018. In Stockholm, he gave a presentation at the EAT Forum, a global platform for food system transformation, where he was able to talk about his work as a farmer battling climate change.

Members of Kisilus Kyavonda CBO (Community Based Organisation) work on climate resilience and adaptation activities (Photo: Julie Lunde Lillester)

The personal story that Kisilu tells has helped international governments and stakeholders realise the need to include voices of those most impacted by climate change in decision and policymaking conversations.

Docuboxs campaign also worked to engage local leaders in implementing resilient farming methods such as water harvesting and drought resistant crop and seed variations. Community group discussions have been key for making these changes, using the film as a conversation starter.

In Kitui county, Docuboxs campaign led to the first ever meeting between Kisilus local community group and the county leadership. The community was able to discuss specific ideas for county interventions that would reach the communities in the region hardest hit by both drought and flooding.

Perhaps the most tangible impact the films campaign has had, has been the construction of an earth dam in Mutomo, Kisilus village. Once complete, the earth dam will be a stable source of water for the roughly 1,750 people who live locally.

Although its been three years since the films release, Thank You for the Rain continues to be shown all around the world as a tool to create awareness on the climate crisis and the injustice it brings with it.

The film is important because it tells a story about a proactive man and community leader in Kenya, but also in the way it is created through collaboration with Kisilu and with a focus on his intimate video diary footage, said Dahr.

It strips away the layers between the family and the audience and allows his point of view and inner reflections to be at the centre, she added.

Thank You for the Rain provides an example of how a personal climate story grounded in unique experience can engage audiences and inspire action.

Moreover, by actively building a campaign around the film, Kisilu, Dahr, and Wanja have magnified the power of a social change documentary to bring about important conversations, strong relationships, and concrete actions.

This post was sponsored by theClimate Justice Resilience Fund.See oureditorial guidelinesfor what this means.

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How a Kenyan climate change documentary inspired the world - Climate Home

May 28, 2020 08:00 ET | Source: TransUnion

CHICAGO, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global COVID-19 pandemic has hit small and mid-sized businesses hard, with 31% closed in the last three months and 62% citing government or health authority orders as the cause.i

As states around the country begin to lift shelter-in-place orders, small business has an enormous sense of urgency to re-open and play their important role in helping some of the 20.5 million newly unemployed consumers get a paycheck.ii Thats why TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) today announced its plans to support the hiring ecosystem by offering small businesses and their prospective employees free access to certain of its ShareAble for Hires employment screening tool packages, now through the end of July 2020.

By implementing TransUnions web-based ShareAble for Hires small businesses can safely and securely conduct background checks on prospective employees within minutes vs. days. The solution is completely transparent and provides job applicants with a copy of reports obtained.

Small businesses and those previously employed by them are among the groups facing the greatest financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Steve Chaouki, President of U.S. Markets at TransUnion. TransUnion is offering ShareAble for Hires for free to small businesses so they can get back up and running quickly, and help people get back to work fast. Thats the power of Information for Good.

Small businesses and their employees facing greatest challenges

While many Americans are facing financial challenges, small businesses have been among the groups most negatively impacted by the pandemic. TransUnion research found that the volume of employment screening for small businesses with 50 or fewer employees declined by 65% in mid-April compared to average volumes observed in prior months during 2020. This is a reflection of small businesses hiring at a lower rate than what was observed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of early May, employment screening has only recovered to a 55% to 60% decline. Comparatively, TransUnion found that large businesses experienced a 35% decline at the apex in mid-April and have, as of early May, recovered to levels that are 20% below what was observed earlier this year.

As small businesses face challenges, so do the people who work for them. A recent TransUnion survey in May found that 70% of consumers working for a small business (with under 50 employees) said their household income was negatively impacted by COVID-19.

Of this group, 17% said they have lost their job as a result of the pandemic. Additionally, 69% of those persons who stated their income was negatively impacted, said they are concerned about paying their current bills or loans. In fact, 86% of impacted small business employees state that they will not have money to pay their bills within three months.

Small businesses are resilient and once they come back, we anticipate so will jobs, said Jason Norton, vice president of emerging global solutions at TransUnion. Last year, alone, 44% of hires in the U.S. were performed by businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Our intent is to help this major employment engine run once again by providing this important screening tool at no cost.

ShareAble for Hires allows small businesses to hire immediately

ShareAble for Hires is unique in that it is the only such online background check tool that 100% of small businesses can use with no waiting period or setup fees while delivering reports within minutes. Transunions Basic and Plus packages, which normally cost between $35 and $50, will be free of charge through July 2020.

Information about the packages can found here. Small businesses interested in using ShareAble for Hires will simply need to click on the following link and conduct a three-step process.

First, the hiring manager at the small business creates a free account and sends a screening request to the prospective applicant. There is no waiting or membership process. Then the applicant receives the request to fill out their personal information, consents to share their reports with the employer and their identity is authenticated. Finally, reports are delivered within minutes to both the small business and applicant.

We are confident in all of our ShareAble for Hires offerings and the types of screening small businesses choose to use is completely dependent on their individual situations. Whats most important is that small businesses are able to make timely hiring decisions with employees they can trust to help them succeed, said Norton.

More information about ShareAble for Hires and this special offer can be found here. Businesses interested in learning how to navigate the impacts of COVID-19 can gain insights from TransUnion webinars, blogs and more here. Additional resources for consumers looking to protect their credit during the COVID-19 pandemic can be found attransunion.com/covid-19.

About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing a comprehensive picture of each person so they can be reliably and safely represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good.

A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people.

http://www.transunion.com/business

iState of Small Business Report, Facebook, May 2020

iiDepartment of Labor Report, May 8, 2020

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Free Access to Employment Screening Helps Small Businesses and the Unemployed Get Back to Work More Quickly - GlobeNewswire

When I originally set out to write this column, I wanted to share the unexpected benefits of cutting back on my online shopping habit.

At the beginning of the year, I set a personal challenge to reduce my online orders from several times a week (insert embarrassed emoji) to a few times a month. As time passed, I realized I had fewer deliveries to track and more money left in my bank account at the end of the month.

But then Covid-19 happened. And now eliminating online shopping is more than a fad or a New Year's resolution. For millions, cutting things out of the budget is an absolute necessity.

If you're having to scale back on discretionary spending, whether that's shopping, travel or something else entirely, here's how to give up that financial habit without feeling deprived. SEE THE SILVER LINING The news is filled with fear, worry and sadness. But it helps to see the silver lining, says Denise Downey, a certified financial planner and owner of Financial Trex LLC, based in Spokane, Washington.

Depending on where you live, you may be forced to stop some spending on travel, sporting events, haircuts, entertainment and more. This involuntary saving can help you make changes you wouldn't have otherwise made on your own.

``Those decisions are being made for us right now,'' Downey says. ``It's not a matter of, `Do I cut the vacation this year or not?' It's cut. There's no decision to be made with that.''

iStock

It's all about perspective. So, if you can, focus on the benefits. For instance, you may find you're feeling a positive boost as you watch your bank account grow and your credit card bill stop climbing.

So sure, my deliveries of clothing, makeup and the newest scented candles aren't as frequent. But much like the thrill of getting a delivery, I'm finding that not spending is also appealing. GET YOUR POWER BACK It's probably obvious that placing fewer online orders equates to saving more money, as long as you don't substitute an expensive activity in its place. The same goes for other types of spending. Cutting back any spending habit can lead to savings.

It can also give you a sense of empowerment, says Drew Harris, CFP, senior financial advisor at Greenway Wealth Advisors LLC, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

``It's a good way to gain back some control by taking ownership of our spending,'' Harris says.

Cutting back means you're giving something up. But you're also gaining freedom from the financial stress that discretionary spending can cause, as well as the buyer's remorse that so often accompanies spending.

This sense of empowerment can help you feel better. L. Kevin Chapman, a licensed clinical psychologist, says you may ``adopt a sense of mastery when eliminating something that has led to financial strain.''

Basically, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment, which allows you to feel positive (rather than negative) about the changes you're making.

LEARN A NEW HABIT Don't get discouraged. Your decreased spending won't have to last forever.

But then again, you may find you don't necessarily want to return to your pre-pandemic spending habits. And that's OK, too.

iStock

Take this time to learn some new habits in place of your old costly ones. Harris suggests going for a walk, talking with family and friends or finding some other inexpensive activity you enjoy doing.

Another example? Downey says her children were constantly busy with extracurricular activities _ activities that cost money. But since the family has been home, she's noticed they're happy and entertained, even with a not-so-busy schedule. That has led her to rethink enrolling them in quite as many activities in the future.

Regardless of the specific substitutions you make, the changes you're implementing during these unprecedented times will help boost your savings and emergency fund. Best case scenario, when life returns to some degree of normalcy one day, hopefully that fund is more than you ended up needing, Downey says.

In that case, you can reward yourself by buying something you're putting off right now, and paying for it in cash.

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No buyer's remorse, increased bank balance, more control: The many perks of cutting back on spending in a post-Covid world - Economic Times

ATTLEBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--If you spend time every day checking email, multiple online trackers, and several different collaboration and communication apps because every client or project collaborator uses a different way to share documents, status updates, and communicate then you need LifeStarr, the worlds first Life Empowerment Technology.

Staying on task is more important than ever before, as many remote workers continue to work from home offices and kitchen tables due to the aftermath of COVID-19. This new normal is straining usual methods for staying organized and communicating effectively about both work and personal tasks, and in fact, sheds light on the need for a more effective solution.

LifeStarr is a new and free task management app in which all details, responsibilities, deadlines, documents, and communication are securely maintained. Clients, colleagues, or other collaborators can be easily invited into all or part of a project, with notifications and daily reports to keep everyone on task. There is no fee or subscription required just start using by creating tasks, assigning responsibility, and inviting people to join.

LifeStarr Founder Joe Rando, a Boston area tech entrepreneur, had his team accelerate the development of the platform to make it available for people and teams as many companies extend work-from-home policies indefinitely. He explains in this video how the app drastically reduces stress to the user for any task, big or small easily and at no cost.

The need for remote work tools and training in great. HubSpot Academy is now offering free remote leadership training, How to Manage a Remote Team a 40 minute on-demand resource in which Rando offers best practices.

Kodi Traver, an investment advisor for Marcus & Millichap in New York City, has tried other project management tools like SharePoint and Microsoft Project, but felt they lacked the ability to track if he and others were accomplishing the right tasks at the right time something that impacts productivity. Thats what I love about LifeStarr. You can specify what needs to be done, when, and by whom, and its easy, he said. We need tools to streamline how we communicate, and this is where LifeStarr excels. Its the only tool that allows you to work with anyone, whether they are within the company or not.

Remote workers, small businesses, freelancers, and independent consultants can benefit from LifeStarr to make sure projects are completed on deadline without time wasted pulling together information from different sources. All communications, files and notes are contained in the task automatically. The platform is intuitive, easy to use, secure, and most of all, time saving, eliminating the frustration that comes with juggling multiple assignments. Its as easy as signing up.

Investors in LifeStarr include West Coast angel investor Shawn Fanning, founder of Helium and Napster, as well as several New York and Boston-based entrepreneurs, including real estate developer Peter Bassett.

About LifeStarr

LifeStarr is the only system that lets you work with anyone, anywhere, on anything for free. The platform makes it possible for users to focus on "doing" rather than "organizing". LifeStarr puts professional and personal tasks and communication where they belong, automatically, saving valuable time so attention can be put toward being strategic, creative and productive. The LifeStarr app is free and always will be. For more information, visit https://www.lifestarr.com/. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/LifeStarrApp and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifestarr/.

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The Only Task Management Platform You Need Launched to Help Remote Workers, Freelancers, Small Business - Business Wire

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mothers womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Did you know God already knows your sins, pains, and struggles? In other words, you are not going to surprise Him or catch Him off guard. He already knows. Why then does it seem like so many of us need to hide our deepest emotions and temptations in personal, private prayer?

If you are struggling, facing challenges, fighting temptation, frustrated, weary, and anxious it is always the best policy to just open up to God. It is freeing to live in the place where the psalmist lives, because nothing in our life is going to catch God off guard, and no matter what you are facing, His love for you is the same. Talk to God, no matter what. He can handle it, and will receive it with mercy and love.

It is this kind of open and honest conversation with God that leads us into deep spiritual self-reflection through the empowerment of His Holy Spirit. Its in these kinds of prayers that the Holy Spirit often leads us to the wonderful confession, realization, and plea of the concluding verses of Psalm 139:23-24, Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

In some translations this word anxious is included in verse 23 and is translated to say, know my anxious thoughts. It is here God will meet us in prayer. I often find in this meeting, God asking me a simple yet profound question. Why? Why are your thoughts so anxious?

Im reminded that it is because of me and my sinful nature, not God or my circumstances. He meets me there in my doubt, in my fear, and in my anxiety. Lovingly, He is reminding me of the hope I am given by Him, the council I find in Him, and despite my many failures and sins, the forgiveness I have in Him.

This process of open, honest prayer leads us to great peace, and your burdens will become lighter because you will remember you do not carry them alone.

Brandon Zoll is pastor of the Church of God of Exeter. He may be reached by calling 559-592-2631.

Prays Together is a rotating column between the pastors of the First Presbyterian Church of Exeter, Church of Christ of Exeter, Nazarene Church of Exeter, Church of God of Exeter, the New Life Assembly of God and Rocky Hill Community Church as well as the Lemon Cove Presbyterian Church.

This column is not a news article but the opinion of the writer and does not reflect the views of The Sun-Gazette newspaper.

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Prays Together: Honesty in Prayer - Foothills Sun Gazette

Written by Vivek Deshpande | Nagpur | Published: May 27, 2020 9:07:47 pm Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse

A controversy has erupted in Mahatma Gandhis Sevagram Ashram at Wardha with the unceremoniously removal of Ashram president T R N Prabhu for, among other reasons, allegedly being a Godsewadi.

Prabhu, 73, was removed by president of Sarva Seva Sangh, Mahadev Vidrohi, on March 18, barely two years after he himself had appointed Prabhu to the post in his capacity as the chief of the Sangh, which is the apex body of all Gandhian institutions.

This is the first time in the Ashrams history that its president was removed before he could complete the five-year term.

Prabhu, however, decided to resign and put in his papers on May 22. He also released a press note rebutting the allegations against him and expressed his anguish at being ill-treated, insulted, removed without giving any chance to defend myself, against principles of natural justice and against the constitution of the Ashram..

Vidrohi cited denial of permission by Prabhu in October 2018 to the Congress Working Committee to hold its meeting in the Ashram premises, and not issuing a statement against shooting of Gandhis portrait by some Hindu fanatics in Uttar Pradesh, as some of the reasons for his removal.

Prabhus removal, however, has split Gandhians, with many criticising the manner of his removal and others supporting it.

Ravindra Rukmini Pandharinath, a Gandhian writer, said, Not allowing any political party to hold its meeting inside the Ashram cant be termed as being wrong. Prabhu wasnt in the meeting in which the decision to remove him was taken. This is against Gandhian principles. If there was any issue, there should have been a discussion.

Vijay Diwan, a Sarvodaya ideologue, however, said, Congress and Gandhi have a common ideological cradle. Not giving Congress space to hold its meeting was something that eventually strengthens the RSS. Diwan had issued a detailed criticism in the media at that time, expressing his anguish over Prabhus move.

Prabhu has also been accused by Vidrohi of disallowing permission to host a play called Ya Gandhicha Kay Karaycha staged by another Gandhian organisation, Rashtra Seva Dal, inside the Ashram. That strengthened my suspicion that he was following a Godsewadi agenda, Vidrohi told The Indian Express.

Vidrohi also cited several other decisions by Prabhu, like allowing a chair for President Ram Nath Kovind to sit inside Bapu Kuti in the Ashram, and creation of a toilet behind the Kuti for the President visit last year, as reasons for his removal.

You may have sympathy for Godse and a faith in the culture of violence but such people have no place in Gandhi Ashram, Vidrohi said.

Incidentally, Prabhu and Vidrohi have known each other for over 30 years and it was Vidrohi who had insisted in making him Ashram president two years ago when many others had pitched for a weightier name.

Prabhu, however, refuted all allegations. My decision not to allow a CWC meeting inside Ashram was in tune with Gandhian values. What did Congress do for Gandhi on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary? The Congress had severed its relationship with Gandhi since 1946. They used to consult Gandhi for strategic purposes, not for ideological guidance, after that. And isnt it far-fetched to say that if I have not allowed Congress to hold the meeting, thats tantamount to being pro-RSS, Prabhu said.

Prabhu accepted that he denied permission to hold the play in front of Bapu Kuti. The Ashram is a silence zone. Only prayers can be held there. I had allowed the Congress also to hold the prayer, in which Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had participated. The play was good and was allowed to be staged in the adjacent Yatri Nivas premises, Prabhu said.

Vidrohi also accused Prabhu of allowing the meeting of a RSS-promoted urban bank in Yatri Nivas. The Sarva Seva Sangh has its account in the bank and the bank had held its business meeting there, not any ideological programme, Prabhu said.

About a chair for President Kovind inside Bapu Kuti, he said, The Presidents staff had requested it. He actually didnt sit and prayed while standing. The toilet was raised again as per the request from his staff even otherwise, when Gandhi used to stay there, his guests would use the toilet inside the Kuti.

Prabhu was also accused of allowing some new concrete structures in the premises, including roads. All these are part of the plan to develop the Sevagram-Pavnar Ashram tourism circuit by the previous Congress government, and pushed further by the subsequent BJP government, and had been going on since 2010-11. How can I be held responsible for it, Prabhu asked.

Prabhu accused Vidrohi of not inviting him for the Sarva Seva Sangh national executive meet at Mumbai in January, in which Vidrohi got Prabhus removal approved through a resolution, despite being a member. I wasnt allowed to defend myself. This is against principles of natural justice and totally undemocratic, he said.

Avinash Kakde, a member of the Ashrams 12-member committee, said, I was a leading opponent of Prabhu when he denied Congress permission to hold the CWC meeting. I had told Prabhu that he had taken the decision unilaterally and hence it was wrong. But to remove him after about a year-and-a-half is certainly not done. Vidrohi had known Prabhu for over 30 years. He made him the managing trustee of the Sangh first and then insisted on making him the Ashram president. So, how come he suddenly finds Prabhu being a Godsewadi?

Kakde was given the task of drafting clear-cut rules regarding holding of programmes on the Ashram premises after the CWC episode. I did it., so the issue was settled then. How can that be raised again after a year-and-a-half? he asked.

Kakde has since written many times to Vidrohi, asking how he suddenly found Prabhu to be in contact with Godse supporters after having worked with him for so long. But he doesnt answer any of my letters, Kakde said, adding, the turn of events leading to Prabhus removal in this fashion is a very sad chapter in the Ashrams history.

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Sevagram Ashram chief removed over allegations of being Godsewadi, he strongly denies it - The Indian Express

31-year-old falls to death in attempt to escape fire at Sakar 7 on Ashram Road; another fire incident recorded at Shivranjani crossroads

By Asik Banerjee & Ancela Jamindar

After the accident, Mirror spoke to Thakkar, Jaydeep came to my office at around 3 pm. While we were leaving, I asked him to wait for me to close the main door. That is when smoke started coming from downstairs and filled the whole passage. I went back into my office, shouting to Jaydeep to follow me. But there was no response. I then opened a window, and came down using the fire stairs.

Thakkar said he saw a few people standing on a narrow platform just outside the window of the alley on the fourth floor and his friend Jaydeep lying on the ground. He said, Due to smoke, the window panes on the fourth floor were broken and everyone escaped to safety. But I am not sure how Jaydeep fell. He was brought to LG Hospital in an ambulance, where he was declared dead by doctors.

This was a minor incident, but panic spread and people stayed back in their offices even though they could have come down to safety from another staircase. All the fire equipment in the building were in working condition, but lack of fire awareness meant none of the people present could not use those. It is necessary that more fire drills take place, so that people know how to use the basic fire equipment.

Fire in Shivranjani

Another fire incident scared citizens on Friday. The incident occurred at the first floor of Amar Complex near Shivranjani crossroads. The floor housed the office of ICICI securities, where a fire started from the AC duct when repair work was on. While no casualty was reported, furniture and documents were destroyed in the fire.

See the rest here:

Father dead; future of 2 kids gutted in fire - Ahmedabad Mirror