Ramadhan Kareem
Ramadhan Kareem
Salam Alaikum!! I would like to begin by wishing every one Ramadhan Kareem. The blessed month of Holy Ramadhan is here and let us keep all of our brothers and sisters in our prayers. May this month bring us closer and keep us united as a community. Ameen.
This year has been a great year for Smile. Alhamdulillah, we have held three family events at The Olive Grove School. At these events, we had Reptilia Inc. and a magic show for the kids. Along side, we held workshop for parents on nutrition as well as a session on Isalmic fianance with a particular focus on a savings plan for children living with disabilities. Integrative events provide a great opportunity for families to socialize and interact with one another. They also give Smile families an opportunity to connect and educate one another about various resources.
On May 27th, 2011 we also had our 3rd annual Smile fundraising dinner at the Maple Banquet Hall. Alhamdulillah, the dinner was a success! We had a great turn out and everyone had a wonderful time reconnecting and socializing with one another and the Smile families. This year was a special year as we were fortunate to have Dr. Asheligh Molloy as our guest speaker. Dr. Asheligh Molloy is the president of the Down Syndrome Association of Toronto. His speech was very informative and answered some of the many questions that one as a parent would have as a caregiver for a child living with a disability. He was also extremely entertaining and as a parent of a child living with Down syndrome, he is an inspiration for us all. At the dinner, we were proud to showcase the artwork of our Smile children.
At the dinner, we were proud to showcase the artwork of our Smile children. This art was up for silent auction and it was amazing to see the diverse collection of art work from these children. It is through their art work, these children are able to describe and express their feelings and how they perceive things they see. It was evident that the children felt proud to see their art work being exhibited and auctioned to support Smile. The Smile dinner is one event, one must attend to experience a fun filled night for families to come together and enjoy with their friends and family. For those of you who could not make it, we hope to see you next year!
Recently, Smile also participated in the infamous MuslimFest, a two-day festival where the Muslim community gathers to showcase the diversity of Islamic culture and art. MuslimFest is a great platform to spread the knowledge about Islam in a creative and unique manner. At MuslimFest Smile set up a booth, people about Smile, the purpose of the organization and of course what we do. We sincerely thank all of you who came out this year.
Finally, we would like to inform you that Inshallah, Smile will resume its first Support Group after Ramadhan. Please visit the Smile website at www.smilecan.org for further information. On behalf of Smile, I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all of you for your continuous support. It has been a great journey and we look forward to many more fun filled events in the future. Inshallah.
Wassalaam,
Fatema Abbas – Smile Editor
