December 13, 2018
Over the past few years, several Islamic Centers have been coordinating with their local Police/Sheriff's Department to provide dinner to the officers working on the evening of December 24th, missing their families gatherings and holiday dinners.
This is always received with tremendous appreciation and gratitude from the officers and the leadership of the Police/Sheriff's Departments.
This year, we would like to add Fire Departments to this effort. Living in California we know how long and harsh this fire season has been and these men and woman have been serving our communities nonstop with little appreciation.
So we would like to increase the number of Islamic Centers' that participate and the number of Police/Sheriff's and Fire Departments served by the Islamic Centers in the same city, to create an annual tradition, where local Police/Sheriff's and Fire Departments expect to receive a warm, delicious dinner from their Muslim neighbors and to feel the appreciation from our generous community.
Please inform the Shura office if your Masjid is planning to participate or needs help in coordinating this process.
For a complete guide on how to initiate the contact and set for the dinner, please see below:
Holiday dinner at the Police/Sheriff's/Fire Department
provided by the Islamic Center
1. Contact your local Police/Sheriff's/Fire Department and ask if they have a community outreach department.
2. Introduce yourself and your Islamic Center, most of them will know of you and your community.
3. Explain your community's gratitude and appreciation for the Police officers, Sheriff's deputies, or Fire Department for their work during the holidays.
4. Express your community's desire to show its appreciation by providing a nice dinner to the working officers/staff on Monday evening, December 24th.
5. Ask them, when would be the best time to bring the food and how many men and women will be there.
6. Arrange for catering. A nice, well-presented meal enough for the number of men and women working. Make sure to include dessert and drinks.
7. Assemble a group of volunteers from your Masjid to deliver the food on Monday evening, and go personally to meet the men and women working, usually they might offer to take you on a tour in the facility, to show their appreciation. If a tour is offered, bring youth community members along. You can also sign a group card on behalf of the Muslim community.
8. Make your visit light and short, as they are working hard to protect you and all citizens of your community.
Dr. Ahmed Soboh
