The awards for community service, which the Ahmadiyya Muslims and the Mayor's office began last year, are one of many ways that this love for the community is fostered.
Source/Credit: My Central Jersey
By Pamela MacKenzie | November 22, 2015
OLD BRIDGE - The township and the Old Bridge Ahmadiyya Muslim Community established a new Thanksgiving tradition Saturday with their second annual Old Bridge Service Awards to two outstanding community leaders, Rose Welsh, executive director of the community food bank, and Ruth Mathieu, president of the Old Bridge Community Emergency Response Team.
The ceremony and dinner were conducted the Senior Center in the Old Bridge Municipa Complex. Tariq Sharif, director of public affairs for the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, was master of ceremonies, while Mayor Owen Henry and some members of the township council participated in the ceremony.
Sharif opened the event by acknowleding the families and friends of the victims of the terrorist attack in Paris the week before, expressing support for them and denouncing terrorism as having no part in Islam. He added that he and members of the Ahmadiyya community had met earlier in the day with the French consul in New Jersey to share this same message of support and peace. He also described his own family, and how is father, a second-generation American, had served in the U.S. Marines and National Guard, and how a deep love for the United States had been passed down from father to son.
Peace is a key value in Islam as the Admadiyya community understands their religion, he explained, adding how these awards help to foster that quality in the community. Acknowledging the great contributions of the police and fire departments, as well as many other professional responders and caregivers, he said, "We are committed to peace and loyalty to this country."
The awards for community service, which the Ahmadiyya Muslims and the Mayor's office began last year, are one of many ways that this love for the community is fostered.
Fiteen years of answering a promise to God
Rahim Latif read a poem about Thanksgiving to set the mood, and Lianah Santa Ana sang the National Anthem. Then the first award was given to Welsh, a Christian, who began volunteering at the food bank 15 years ago.
Eddie LaPorte, head of faith-based initiatives in theBuy Photo
Eddie LaPorte, head of faith-based initiatives in the office of the Lieutenant Governor, shares a letter for Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno with Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry and Dr. Mir Sharif Ahmad, president of the Old Bridge Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. (Photo: Pamela MacKenzie/Staff Photo)
Welsh's service began after she had a stroke, which left her whole right side paralyzed. As she recovered, she promised God that if she pulled through, she would spend her time serving Him by helping others. She said dshe came to the food bank as a result of that prayer. Today, she still has some vestiges of the effects of that stroke, but she is a very active manager of the food bank, putting in a full work week there. Just on Saturday alone, she had led 50 volunteers, including Mayor Henry, in organizing hundreds of baskets of food for Thanksgiving meals for families in need in Old Bridge.
"People think that working in a food bank is serving meals like a soup kitchen, but it's not like that," Welsh said. "It's a lot of lifting and organizing."
Welsh particularly thanked the regular volunteers at the food bank, adding that they always can use more volunteers. She also thanked the businesses that regularly support their work, including ShopRite, Whole Foods, BJ's, the YMCA, Amboy Bank, DCH Honda, Max of Old Bridge and Weichert Realtors. She also said the Reformed Church Home on Route 18 has been extremely helpful, not only in collecting food but also in raising $1,800 for the food bank to get needed supplies.
Volunteers and food bank clients are all screened. Clients apply for help through the township, and their applications are handled by Diane Amabile, the assistant director of social services. Volunteers are also screened, but the screening is mainly to determine what their skills are and how they best can help.
Welsh said the food bank works with the community throughout the year as schools ans businesses conduct food drives.
"Our numbers (of people needing food) grow every year," Welsh said, adding there's been a big increase in September and October.
Read original post here: USA: Ahmadiyya Muslims and Mayor of Old Bridge Salute Exceptionally Caring Leaders
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