The evening of the GiveLight dinner in Claremont, California was bustling with excitement as the Southern California GiveLight Team eagerly awaited their guests. The team had been preparing for this September 30th dinner since the end of spring, and now the time had come to introduce GiveLight to an entirely new group of interested individuals.
As the 100 guests made their way through the courtyard, they were greeted with smiles—their journey had begun. Founder Dian Alyan was keen to meet these kind souls and made sure to take the time to be present at the event. It was such an exceptional opportunity for the guests and the Southern California GiveLight Team to have Dian in attendance that evening.
Organizer Roohe Ahmed elaborated on why it was important to introduce GiveLight to new people and the concept behind the “Culinary Journey”: “GiveLight is such a beautiful organization where kids are loved and honored to grow to reach their full potential. Our team wanted to raise awareness across our city about it, and started with small local events. However, we had been doing the same type of programs- intimate tea parties that targeted women. We tried to branch out when we hosted the Jeremy McLellan comedy event in January. But we wanted to do a unique event showcasing the amazing culinary talents we have here, and tell the story of GiveLight through unique, exquisite cuisine.”
As the guests conversed with Dian and the team, delicious fruit juices were served. The mango drink was fashioned after a similar beverage in Indonesia, the Hibiscus Spritzer was indicative of the Tropics and the Strawberry Sangria Mocktail was showcased using Wabry Syrup, whose creator, Nadia Khan, donates 30 percent of her profits to GiveLight.
We prepared and plated and served, and Alhamdulillah the feedback was amazing. In spite of all the work involved I would do it again in a heartbeat. I absolutely loved being a part of this amazing event, working with such an inspiring group of ladies and all for a good cause. I came home content, Alhamdulillah.”
The guests were escorted outdoors to enjoy this culinary adventure under a blanket of lights twinkling in the night sky.After host Mariah Jamal welcomed all on behalf of the GiveLight Southern California Team, she invited Mustafa Khan, a Sophomore high school student at IOK, to recite Sura Duha (The Morning Light) along with the translation. His beautiful recitation echoed amongst the guests and lingered throughout the evening.
Dian was then asked to speak, and without missing a beat, she spoke from her heart about GiveLight’s core mission of making the orphans feel an integral part of society by educating them and giving them the love and dignity they deserve.
Dian’s speeches always inspire the soul and that night was no exception. A sophomore from Vivian Webb School, Cheyaan Jamal, told the audience how she became inspired by Dian to do something for the orphans Cheyaan explained how she tutors some of the children in Indonesia via Skype. Cheyaan said, “The opportunity to connect with kids around the world has humbled me and has shown me how important education is in the world we all live in, and how each of us can make a difference.”
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The guests were escorted outdoors to enjoy this culinary adventure under a blanket of lights twinkling in the night sky.After host Mariah Jamal welcomed all on behalf of the GiveLight Southern California Team, she invited Mustafa Khan, a Sophomore high school student at IOK, to recite Sura Duha (The Morning Light) along with the translation. His beautiful recitation echoed amongst the guests and lingered throughout the evening.
Dian was then asked to speak, and without missing a beat, she spoke from her heart about GiveLight’s core mission of making the orphans feel an integral part of society by educating them and giving them the love and dignity they deserve.
Dian’s speeches always inspire the soul and that night was no exception. A sophomore from Vivian Webb School, Cheyaan Jamal, told the audience how she became inspired by Dian to do something for the orphans Cheyaan explained how she tutors some of the children in Indonesia via Skype. Cheyaan said, “The opportunity to connect with kids around the world has humbled me and has shown me how important education is in the world we all live in, and how each of us can make a difference.”
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