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ESE Instructor
Millionaire birthday boy parties w/homeless
word for the day: Philantropist, Entrepreneurial, Prodigy, "..to veg out.."?
Millionaire birth day boy parties with homeless (SJMN 05-07-08)
Taj Chahal has thrown himself great birthday bashes. He has rented limos to take his friends to San Francisco. He's flown to Vegas.
This year, for his 29th birthday, Chahal decided to do something a bit different: He bosted a surprise party for 300 total strangers -- complete with birthday cake and party favors for everyone -- at Martha's Kitchen, a San Jose charity that serves meals to the homeless and working poor.
Most of us consider our birthdays as a time to receive, not to give. So why would this guy celebrates his by feeding the homeless?
It's all about karma, he says.
"If you are blessed to have the things that you have, then you should share them with others."
Chahal has indeed been blessed. His family moved from India to San Jose when he was 7. After graduating from Independence High School, he attended San Jose State University until his younger brother, entrepreneurial prodigy Gurbaksh Chahal, started his first company at age 16. Taj then 19, dropped out to work with him. Last year the Chahal brothers sold their latest start-up, BlueLithium, an advertising technology company, to Yahoo for $300 million.
So Taj decided to take some time off, but he's not the type to veg out in front of the TV all day. He sat down and made a to-do list:
1) Get in terrific shape.
2) Take flying lessons.
3) Do something really nice for people who need help.
Afther checking the first two items off the list, he began researching local charities and found a video about Martha's Kitchen on YouTube.
"I was very impressed with the organization. It's very lean. They really depend on the volunteers."
Martha's Kitchen, which opened in 1981 next to Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on Willow Street, serves more than 100,000 meals every year. Everyone is welcome, no questions asked.
(Cont.)
Definitions:
philantropy (n): goodwill to fellowmen; especially : active effort to promote human welfare
plural phi·lan·thro·pies
philantropist (n): one who practices philantropy
entrepreneur (n): one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise
— entrepreneurial (adjective)
— en·tre·pre·neur·ial·ism (noun)
— en·tre·pre·neur·ial·ly (adverb)
— en·tre·pre·neur·ship (noun)
prodigy (n): an extraordinary, marvelous, or unusual accomplishment, deed, or event
-----------: a highly talented child or youth
-----------: a portentous event; something extraordinary or inexplicable
plural prodigies
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Last edited by Mag_Na_Ni_Mi_Ty; May 8, 2008 at 02:36 AM.
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