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As announced during the past few Jumaa Prayers, the Masjid is going through very difficult financial times. Community members have been urged to step forward and contribute to the Masjid, financially or through direct involvement. Please, heed these calls as this is important to continuing availability and proper functioning of this critical community center.
The weekend school for the 2011-2012 academic year starts on September 11, 2011. If you have school aged children, you should not let go of the opportunity to instill in them Islamic values. Please contact the School Principal ASAP to register your child.
Improving the Center’s safety and security are top priorities identified at the meeting of the Executive Committee on July 6, 2011. The Masjid is serving as a community congregation center and must meet minimum levels of safety and security. Currently, the parking area is not safe from external as well as internal hazards. The area has poor lighting, is not fenced and is not supervised with cameras. This means a stranger can wander in at any time and pose a danger as had happened recently at Masjid Abu Bakr (read the story in the June 3 issue of FRM News). The parking lot area is also unsafe where internal hazards are considered; for example when children are playing in the parking lot and cars are pulling in or pulling out. The Center has no one to turn to but the community. Therefore, the Executive Committee decided to seek the community’s financial support to repair the parking lot pavement, install a fence and lights. These are urgent/immediate improvements that should occur before the start of the Ramadan. The minimum amount needed urgently (before the start of Ramadan) is estimated to be $25,000 for bare minimums and up to $100,000 if the parking lot is to be rebuilt completely. Fund-raising announcements will be made during Friday prayers and through other communication channels (such as this article). Please, be generous with your support! Ramadan is the month of blessings. What better way to secure these blessings than by helping keep our kids safe?
With or without these improvements, the Executive Committee reminds all members of the community that ensuring security and safety is everybody’s job, especially parents. The committee wants to emphasize that kids who come to the Masjid must be supervised at ALL times by their parents. It is not acceptable for a parent to be praying inside while his/her kid is outside playing in the parking lot.