Ok, so I have now officially joined the ranks of rambling bloggers.  Shoot me...

I wanted to post a notice though, about an event being planned for Victoria and get a feel for how it may be received. In association with a couple of charity groups we are involved in planning an event to raise funds for Golden Crescent CASA, the Boys and Girls Clubs and possibly the American Heart Association. At the same time, we hope to raise awareness, understanding and tolerance between a couple of groups that are very much in the news today and, at best, at an uneasy peace; the American people and the Muslim community.

Hakeem Olajuwon has begun a program called "Building Bridges" in the Houston area and wants to expand the program. Through a mutual friend, we met with Mr. Olajuwon and a couple of representatives of the Iman Academy of Houston to discuss the possibility of his coming to Victoria for a fund raising event. We're in the process of finalizing a dinner and forum at Victoria Country Club for approximately three hundred people to meet this former Houston Rockets center and discuss the Muslim/American relationship with him and Dr. Hamed Ghazali of the Iman Academy.

A second event is also in the planning stages for a preceeding event to be held on the same day (as yet to be determined but hopefully sometime in May). Mr. Olajuwon may be able to convince a few of his teammates to participate in an exhibition game. There will be memorabilia autographed by Hakeem and other Rockets available for a donation to the charities. We're also considering auctioning off opportunities to go for a little one-on-one with the Rockets or to have your team play a little roundball with them. I'm sure too that Hakeem will want to do a short talk about the Muslim community.

For all you regular readers out there, let me know how you feel about such an event. We hope the forum will offer an opportunity for attendees to pose questions to and about the non-reactionary Muslim community that will serve to further understanding between.... the people we share the planet with.

All proceeds from these events will be donated to the charities mentioned above.

Thanks,

Ernie