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CALC corner 2007 DEDICATED TO GUIDING OUR CHILDREN NOTE from the PRESIDENT As you read last month, refugees began to arrive in Michigan and dozens of volunteers are working around the clock to Clair Konja help them settle in and get needed items. We organized a drop-off day last month for anyone wanting to donate items to the refugees. We would like to thank Louie Boji and United Wholesale Group for donating their building in Southfield for storage. It is greatly needed and appreciated. We also want to send a big thank you out to Salman Konja and partners of International Wholesale for donating trucks and drivers to pick up several items for our refugee families. As the year ends and we head into 2008, we will continue working with the Chaldean Federation of America with the refugee resettlement program. As you know, the CFA has taken on an enormous program that requires help from various groups. This is not something that will end in a few weeks or a few months — this resettlement effort will go on for several years and we at CALC will do all that we can to raise money, raise awareness and collect needed items. However, the assistance we are providing to the CFA is just one of many programs the CALC is involved in. We are winding down 2007 and gearing up for 2008. All you women will want to get involved in the programs we have created for next year. It is about your health, your wellbeing, about you — the woman. OC Health Division Awards CALC Grant Funding The CALC has been awarded grant funding from the Oakland County Health Division to continue its “Empowered Voices” Program for girls and their mothers. The “Empowered Voices” Program aims to strengthen bonds between adolescent and preadolescent Chaldean girls and their mothers. The nine-month program focuses on girls’ development, including improving and maintaining high self-esteem, strengthening the relationship among girls and between girls and women, and building critical thinking, problemsolving, and other skills. The program is for middle school and high school girls. This exciting program is now in its third year and will be held in West Bloomfield at St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church. If you wish to register your daughter in Above: Rita Abbo and Suhair Kallabat work at the storage facility Right: Ivan Konja the program or need additional information, please contact Jane Shallal at (248) 352-5018. Chaldean Angels Soar High Our young generation of CALC gals are sure angels and their wings are soaring high. This group of young girls are truly dedicated to this community. They sponsored two bake sales for the refugees, one at St. Thomas in West Bloomfield raising nearly 0 and one at Mother of God where they raised nearly 0. Panera Bread of Farmington Hills and CALC board members donated baked goods. Hotel Rooms Needed There are several community members who own hotels and we need your help. Some of the refugees arriving in the U.S. do not have anchor families to house them when they arrive. We need hotel rooms for a short period of time until we can get each person settled into a residence. If you are able to donate a room or more, please contact the CALC office. We would like to give a special appreciation to Mr. Kassab, owner of the Comfort Suites in Ferndale. He generously opened his doors one evening last month to a family that just arrived hours earlier. Apartments or Condos Needed Anyone in our community who owns apartment complexes, condos or any type of housing for refugee families to live in, this would be a tremendous help. As most of you know, security deposits are needed, along with cosigners, if the family has no credit — and the long list of requirements goes on. If we have several owners who can offer their facilities to them, their understanding of the situation would be of great help. 14 CHALDEAN NEWS OCTOBER 2007 ADVERTORIAL
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