Event benefits school for Lebanese orphans

1/9/2003

Friends of Dar Al Hanan gathered for the 10th annual banquet Dec. 29 in the Wyndham Hotel.

Dar Al Hanan is an educational institution formed in 1990 to serve the needs of children orphaned by the civil war in Lebanon, regardless of their religion. The school is outside the village of Al Manara in the Bekaa Valley. More than 525 orphans reside there.

From left, Sara Boraby, Manira Saide-Sallock, and Mariam Shousher attend the Friends of Dar Al Hanan banquet.
From left, Sara Boraby, Manira Saide-Sallock, and Mariam Shousher attend the Friends of Dar Al Hanan banquet.

At the benefit dinner, guests were welcomed by Friends president Manira Saide-Sallock. Next, guest speaker Ahmed Al-Hajj, president of Lebanese International University, gave a few remarks.

Friends board members include Jamile Igram, Mariam Shousher, Aicha Abbas-Burkett, Laya Ahmed, Sara Boraby, Rabha Eidi, and Laila Hazimah. Among the guests was Mayor Jack Ford.

THE FIESTA BOWL received the most attention here in Buckeye country last week, but some fans headed to other college football bowl games.

Cam and Penny Smith of Ottawa Hills flew to Pasadena, Calif., on New Year's Eve for the Rose Bowl the next day, then flew back to Toledo New Year's night. Mr. Smith was delighted to support his alma mater, Washington State, but I'm sure he would have been happier had the Cougars prevailed over the Oklahoma Sooners.

Also in attendance at the Rose Bowl were Dan and Beth Hafner of Toledo and their daughter, Emily, who was in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. At an FTD convention earlier this year, Miss Hafner was selected from several finalists to ride on the company's float. FTD was a sponsor of the children's fantasy-themed parade, so the Hafner family got the royal treatment, including front-row seats for the parade, where they saw Emily in a fairy costume waving to the crowd, followed by dynamite seats for the Rose Bowl game.

THE DAY AFTER Christmas, University of Toledo Rockets fans traveled to Ford Field in Detroit for the Motor City Bowl. UT didn't beat Boston College, but Jeff Huffman of the alumni association said everyone was proud of the team.