:dateline:A group of Syrian children are all smiles today, after receiving gifts of toys from a community of Sikhs.
Members of the Lower Mainland Sikh community came together to gather over 1000 toys for children, and today handed out about a third of them to around 100 newly arrived Syrian children.
Surrey MP Randeep Sarai says the Sikh community is paying it forward, from one generation of immigrants to another.
�It�s somebody who helped them out when they came, whether it�s a family or a relative or another member of the community. And the one thing these members identified is that is, �look, we should pass that on and help those that are in need right now.�
Sarai says though Metro Vancouver�s Sikh community has a history of humanitarianism, this was the largest fundraiser of its kind for them.
�The Sikh community did to similar stuff maybe in a smaller gesture when the Ugandan refugees came, the Indians from Uganda back in the 70?s. They have a tendancy to always get together for any humanitarian issues.�
Sarai says as the refugees continue to arrive in British Columbia, he hopes to see them settle across the province, saying he knows the Syrian community has a lot to add to local communities here.
