MFCC 1st Annual Fundraising Dinner

The Mosque Foundation Community Center held its first annual Fundraising Dinner on Friday, May 11th, 2007 at the Chateau Del Mar in Hickory Hills, along with a program of games and activities for the children at PGN. It was a great turnout for the first event with an attendance of around 400 guests. Dr. Ghassan Abdallah, president of the Mosque Foundation Community Center, and Dr. Zaher Sahloul, president of the Mosque Foundation, welcomed the audience, elaborating on the need for a full time community center with emphasis on youth oriented programs, hence the transition from the "Muslim Youth Center" to the newly renamed "Mosque Foundation Community Center."

The audience enjoyed a full evening of programming which included a mini documentary feature about the MFCC programs, narrated by MFCC Director Lena Tleib; recognition and presentation of prizes to recent Qur'an Competition winners; entertainment by comedian Mo Amer from Houston, Texas, and the "Art of Voices" boys' nasheed group, directed by Sh. Kifah. The guest speaker was Br. Rami Nashashibi, president of Innercity Muslim Action Network (IMAN), who expressed his happiness over the transition of the MFCC, citing the importance of generational connections to strengthen the struggling youth. "Our youth are facing a crisis of the disconnection of substance and spirit of what they are. This is our main concern. When you forget God, you forget who you are", Rami stated in response to the world's current obsession with the possibility of the radicalization of Muslim youth.

The Mosque Foundation Community Center raised over $40,000 in collections and pledges, just a little short of their goal of $50,000, but all in all, was a successful evening. We look forward to next year.