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2010 Ramadan Activities in 2009 The first weekend of Ramadan, CCMW Montreal chapter members made food baskets with the money that had been collected earlier during the weeks preceding Ramadan. This was done in collaboration with the AMAL women's centre. Members helped deliver the baskets to the different families in need (this is an ongoing Project which had been started by our Old-time member Fehmida Khan and now passed on to the younger generation to take over). The Chapter members still participate actively in the process and do as much as they can. Our member Samina Uddin had taken over this responsibility and took it to another level where she campaigned rigorously and got Merchants to donate, bought some items, collected money from the Community, involved the Youth who made and delivered baskets under her supervision. This year the project had been passed on to her very capable daughter Kulsoom Uddin who had seen her mother perform and now is capable herself to take on this challenge along with other young members of AMAL women's centre. Some baskets were delivered to the Notre-Dame-de-Grace Food bank since there were some Muslim families on their list. Some baskets were also delivered to a few deserving families despite the fact that they were not Muslims. CCMW believes in “Eradicating hunger” especially where women & children are concerned - irrespective of belief/ colour or creed. The members were also helping every Saturday at the MCQ masjid to organize, supervise & serve at Community iftars and on the 12th of September, which had been declared as "Ramadan Solidarity day", members cooked Chicken curry, mixed vegetables, rice pulao and bought dessert for 70 women and children. They made 10 gift bags for children and took it all to the women's shelter "The Tree of Hope" where it was highly appreciated. This is also an ongoing project since the last two years and the women there look forward to Ramadan now as they know they shall be getting a good meal during that month. Ramadan Activities in 2008 The CCMW Montreal and West Island Chapters completed their Ramadan activities by paying a visit to the L'Abri D'Espoir Shelter on Notre Dame street. We had started our activities with the donations, assembling and delivering of the Ramadan baskets that continued till the last quarter. Our member Inge Reed had suggested that the women at the Shelter were asking about Ramadan Food (since last year all the leftovers from the Saturday Iftars at MCQ used to be delivered to them). So we had a quick meeting and since the 27th of Ramadan (say did anyone notice that the 9th month of the lunar calendar fell exactly on the 9th month of the solar calendar?) and decided that we shall cook a SPECIAL meal for the ladies there on the declared date for the "Ramadan Solidarity Day". The menu was decided and ladies took on themselves different dishes to cook. The contact at the Shelter was a wonderful young lady from Congo and we had such good cooperation from her. She received us at the Kitchen where we brought 50 chicken legs cooked Indo-Pak style, Pea Pulao, Lentils and vegetables (Secheles style), Salad, 2 kinds of Desserts (I NEED the recipe for those lovely desserts since I did not get to taste them). Jacqueline, the Chef and our contact there, organized the food into Hot Serving platters (huge chaffing dishes) and it was served buffet style. She briefed us that we would encounter very different attitudes because the women might not be very talkative or in the mood to communicate and also, we had to make serving plates (as is the rule of the Shelter to minimize wastage). The ladies are allowed to come back 2 or 3 times, as long as they finished what they have on their plate. 5:15 was dinner time for them, at 5'o clock one of the volunteers came and set the tables, then at 5:10 we started making the plates and placing them on the counter where they were picked up by the ladies as they came in and lined up. We said hello and they were smiling and happy with all the AROMA that they were getting. We wished them bon apetit and told them that it was our Holiday that is why we were celebrating with them. I think that made them relax a bit and they enjoyed, complimented and thanked us when they came back for seconds. Jacqueline was saying that they RARELY ever came back for seconds and she was surprised that some even came for thirds. There was one lady who kept saying that I have told them here that I will not eat pork, so we knew that she was Muslim and we chatted with her (now I am hitting myself on the head saying "Why did you NOT give her your card?) and asked her where she was from etc. Most women came back and complimented us and Jacqueline even wanted (and wrote down) the recipes. One more thing that needs to be mentioned here that we gave them some little gifts also (like shampoos, lotions, good soaps etc. in gift bags) and sweets and toffees were provided for the children (we did not get to see the children as they are supposed to be in a different section). Jacqueline said that the gifts shall be given at their snack time later on in the evening. All the food and the gifts were provided by our members. We cannot forget to mention AND thank our male-CCMW member & supporter (and here everyone knows I mean Shahbaz Ashraf) who drove us on Friday on a reconnaissance mission to see where this place was, then organized all the food in the van and delivered it to the centre, then picked us up. What gave me a lot of encouragement and hope was the presence of two young members who came there to help and when they had done their duty of putting desserts on individual plates they left to go to the Masjid "MCQ" where they helped set up tables, food, water, coffee etc. all the organizational help that they needed over there since it was "Ramadan Solidarity Day" and the masjid had an open house. So CCMW was present wherever needed. Bravo girls. Thus ended another year of "Sharing & Caring", may God Almighty accept our efforts to uplift and help humanity. Speeches On-going events: June 29th, 2003 April 23 March 8 |
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