LANSING, Mich. — Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows are proud to announce the winners of the Mayors’ Ramadan Unity Dinner Essay Scholarship. There were two tiers of scholarships, one given to 12th graders and college students and the other given to 9th, 10th and 11th graders.
Adam Pfau won $500 for his first place essay in the college division, with Joyce-Zoe Farley taking a $250 prize for second place and Terrance Range taking $150 for third place. The contest winners are all students at Michigan State University. In the high school division, Eastern High School’s Aaba Mohamed-Saleh took first place ($300), Waverly High School’s Marciela Tapia came in second ($200) and East Lansing High School’s Eaman Ali took third place ($100). The student winners of the Ramadan Unity Dinner Essay Contest were asked to describe how hunger impacts the community and how the community can unite to solve it.
“These local students really demonstrate what it means to be united as a community and the City of Lansing is proud to support these promising students with a scholarship,” said Lansing Mayor’s Office Manager Renee Morgan Freeman. “Ramadan is a time for reflection and service, so we are happy to see people of all faiths embodying these tenets.”
The essay contest is just one aspect of the Mayors’ Ramadan Unity Dinner, which also features a formal banquet dinner and a day of service. This year’s dinner will be held on Friday, Oct. 14 from 6-9 p.m. at the Lansing Center. The theme of this year’s dinner is “United in Hope – Against Hunger!” Ramadan is not only a religious observation for mid-Michigan Muslims, but also a calling to feed those in need. Speakers and VIPs expected to attend include Mayor Bernero; Mayor Meadows; special guest speaker, the Honorable Mohammed Hameeduddin, first Muslim mayor of the Township of Teaneck, New Jersey; the HUMANITY Dance Production; and Greater Lansing Food Bank Executive Director Joe Wald.
Keeping with the Ramadan tradition of serving those who are hungry, volunteers will help distribute food from the Greater Lansing Food Bank on Saturday, Oct. 15. Volunteers will pass out a variety of produce, protein and dry goods to clients, while volunteer drivers will deliver food to seniors.
Tickets for the Ramadan Unity Dinner are $15 per student, $25 per individual and $80 per family of four. Additional information can be found at http://lansingmi.gov/1287/3530/Mayors-Ramadan-Unity-Dinner. Proceeds from the 2016 dinner will be directed toward an essay scholarship and to the Greater Lansing Food Bank.