Milton Villager Magazine Volume 2, Issue 9 - August 2015 www.MiltonVillager.com
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If you would like to advertise in Milton Villager email rick@dilorenzo.com Publisher - Rick Di Lorenzo, rick@dilorenzo.com Photographers - Ann Kornuta, Denise Cooperwhite, Grant Rushton, Trevor Black Reporters - Stuart Service, Laura Steiner, Genevieve Rushton-Givens, Kiran R. Khan, Salman Alvi, Ann Kornuta, Angela Hickman Graphic Designer - Tudor Maier Cover Photo - Shahveer Jafry Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily that of the publisher and no liability is assumed for omissions or errors. Follow us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/MiltonVillager
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First Annual Rotary Wingfest a Success By Laura Steiner | Photos by Trevor Black
W
hat makes a good chicken wing? For local resident Pat Grisoni it’s the spice. “You don’t want it to be hot where it burns your taste buds. You want to make sure it gives you really good flavour,” Pat explained. She’s from Barbados, and Pat makes her own wings often using a special blend of spices. For her daughter Savanah it’s a sweet or savoury. “I don’t like the meat too dry; always moist,” she said.
Club themselves with a wide variety of sauces, Italian Canadian Club of Milton (ICCM) featuring two types of wings, as well as a number of restaurants. Seating was available at the beer tent as well as at picnic tables scattered throughout.
The meat made a difference as well for another Wingfest visitor Ray Hanna. “A lot of meat, not too fatty.” Size makes a difference to him too. “If they’re enormous I don’t think they’re as good as the small ones, he said. Everyone had their chance to answer that question for themselves at the first annual Milton Wing Fest at Rotary Park held July 17, and 18. The event doubled as a fundraiser for Rotary programs.
For Rotary Volunteer Romeo it was the sauce. He named his favourite sauce: “It could be between honey garlic, and Caribbean Jerk” When I tried the wings, I agreed with him. The “Milton Maple”, a chicken wing glazed with a maple vinaigrette, was one of my favourites from the ICCM. It was easy to eat because you didn’t get your hands sticky handling it, and you can taste the maple in the meat. I also tried a wing with an apple BBQ sauce which I liked because there was a bit of acidity, and just enough spice.
Attendees entered the park and bought tickets for the wings worth $1 each. The “wingers” were along one side featuring the Rotary
For more information on the Rotary Club of Milton and their charitable efforts visit their website at: www.miltonrotaryclub.com
4 | Milton Villager | August 2015
A wide variety of wings from saucy to crispy were available in flavours from mild to spicy.
The Rotary Club of Milton was out in force this weekend at Wingfest collecting tickets at the gate. The high school volunteers were Alexia, Angel, and Desirhea. Rotary members were Bill and Margaret Hamilton, Carolyn Keyworth, Ries Boer, and Sohail Naseer.
Wade and John Michell ate up as many wings as they could and had a great time together doing it.
The Italian Canadian Club of Milton served up some very tasty wings that were served up by......
Rob and Danielle Ward had fun getting their face painted and eating wings.
August 2015 | Milton Villager | 5
6 | Milton Villager | August 2015
Get your tickets to first annual
By Stuart Service
T
he first annual Veterans Helping Veterans golf tournament is taking place on September 3 at Granite Ridge Golf Club at 9503 Dublin Line in Milton. Veterans Helping Veterans is a non-profit organization started by Milton soldier Fred Smith. He’s been busy this year meeting soldiers, veterans and families, helping them get connected to the medical and financial benefits available to them. He’s also busy planning an entire day of golf combined with a classy, full-day celebration of the past and present contributions of extreme bravery by the Canadian Armed Forces. Although Smith has requested that some of the guests and activities be kept under wraps, the tournament is sure to be a special day for both golfers and veterans. “This is about raising awareness for our less fortunate veterans, still-serving soldiers and families,” Smith said. “We’re not all about making money here. We want people to come, listen to what we have to say, take part in some activities and donate a bit.”
Entry to participate in a lunch at 11:30 a.m., an afternoon of golfing and a dinner at 6 p.m. is $175. The cost for just the dinner, which is emceed by Coaches Corner sidekick Ron Maclean, is $50.
Visit veteranshelpingveterans.ca for more information about the golf tournament as well as Smith’s organization.
“Ron Maclean will play one hole with everyone, a par 3, and you can also get your picture taken with him as well as an autograph for a donation,” he said. The dinner will also include an appearance by Walter Gretzky, who will share stories about being Canada’s most famous hockey dad. Speakers will include a representative from Soldier On, a Canadians Armed Forces program that supports service personnel and veterans to overcome their physical or mental illness or injury through physical activity and sport. “Also we will have the Poppy Memorial, which is a memorial from Kandahar,” he said. “That will be here with four soldiers, and there will be a small ceremony on that. Very important stuff.” Tournament and dinner tickets are selling fast and the event is just about sold out.
August 2015 | Milton Villager | 7
open to all on August 16th M
agic show, pony rides, live music, great food and much more is just around the corner with the upcoming third annual ICCM Family Picnic.
“This is a family event for our members, family, friends, community partners, and all Milton residents.” said Rosanna Conteduca, ICCM member and Chair of Picnic Committee. “The event is to help us promote our club and increase membership and sponsorship. The raised funds will be for the upkeep of the club and the Building Fund.”
The Italian Canadian Club of Milton (ICCM) is a non-profit, social, cultural and family oriented organization run by volunteers in the community.
“The club’s purpose is to celebrate our Italian heritage and promote our cultural values and those of the community in which we live in,” said Conteduca. “Last year we had approximately 200 in attendance,” said Conteduca. “Quite a bit of cost is involved with this event - we
By Kiran R. Khan Photos by Denise Cooperwhite
are fortunate to have support from our community and have received a number of donations to offset some of the costs.” There will be lots of kids’ activities including: bouncy castles, pony rides, crafts, face painting, and a magic show, as well as a presentation from the Academy of Martial Arts. For adults, there will be a Bocce Tournament and a Briscola Tournament, an Italian card game. The menu will consist of traditional Italian foods including pasta, porchetta, and sausage prepared by Grand Chalet and authentic wood fired pizza prepared by RoJo Thyme Catering, along with Italian music featuring Daniela Taurasi. Conteduca said that the raised funds will be for the upkeep of the club and will go towards Building Fund. “The success of this event heavily relies on the support of our community partners, sponsors, members, Board and Committee Members and numerous volunteers,” said Conteduca.
Tony Leone
8 | Milton Villager | August 2015
The ICCM Family Picnic will be held at the Italian Canadian Club of Milton located at 104 Tremaine on Sunday, August 16th from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Emma, Anthony, Aylssa, Tony and Sue
Rebecca, Joe, Christopher, Sebastian, Mary-Anne Selwa
August 2015 | Milton Villager | 9
By Munema Moiz
E
id was celebrated in many different ways in Milton this year. However, Nargis Naqvi and her husband, Kamran Siddiqui decided to make it unique. “I have lived in Milton for four years and still didn’t know my neighbours,” said Naqvi. “So I decided to change that during Eid so I can get to know everyone. In Islam, taking care of your neighbours is a religious duty and I felt that I needed to practice it this year.” This year the couple on Tuxford Drive decided to give the religious event a Canadian multicultural spin. A driveway get-together was set up to celebrate the religious festival with the entire street on July 19th.
Activities Registration Day
“I think it was a great success,” said Robena, a neighbor and volunteer. “It was a really fun way to get to know everybody and made Eid a lot more special.” Eid ul Fitr is a festival celebrated by Muslims every year to mark the end of Ramadan, a month in which Muslims fast every day from dawn to dusk. Muslims believe that Ramadan is the holy month that the Quran, their holy book, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The event lasted for two hours, where around 30 people attended the event. Many of them expressed their gratitude at organizing a neighbourly get together, as it can be hard to get to know your neighbours in a growing community like Milton. Traditional food, Arabic coffee, desserts, and henna were available. Gift bags were handed out at the end to all those who attended. “We started arranging the event, everyone vouched in, helping out at such a short notice, as well as donating food and gifts for everyone,” said Naqvi. “This is definitely the start of an Eid tradition that will open doors between communities and people.”
10 | Milton Villager | August 2015
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29th, 9:30 am to 2:00 pm Milton offers a huge range of activities & clubs for children, teens, adults and seniors. Make life easy and stop by our Fall & Winter Activities Registration Day to get information and registration options from local groups.
For a list of participating groups, visit miltonmall.com and click on Fall and Winter Activities Registration Day. Corner of Ontario and Main miltonmall.com
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August 2015 | Milton Villager | 11
By Kiran R. Khan | Photos by Grant Rushton
U
pon reaching half a million likes on his Facebook page, Shahveer Jafry, a Pakistani-Canadian YouTube sensation based in Milton, Ont. says he was filled with joy. “My first video was about ‘annoying younger siblings’,” said Jafry. “My family’s reaction about me making these skits was always positive.”
Jafry was born in Pakistan and moved to Canada when he was 14 years old. He lives in Milton, Ont. with his parents and four brothers. He started his Facebook career roughly about a year ago when he started making comedy skits for his family oversees whom he describes as extremely supportive. “It was not until when my videos got featured on a Facebook page known as
‘Pakistani Vines’ when I decided to make a page of my own,” said Jafry highlighting the transition from something he did for fun to making it big.
Jafry, has done collaborations with other YouTube sensations such as Sham Idrees, Zaid Ali, and Waqar Malik, who describe him as someone who is passionate about his work and a perfectionist. “Every individual that I have worked with is not only professional, but has the qualities of being a life long friend,” said Jafry.
“I think I haven’t seen someone else who puts so much effort in making sure his videos are great and not just one video, but every video in his opinion has to do better than the last,” said Waqar Malik.
12 | Milton Villager | August 2015
“I met Shahveer a few months ago as part of a collaboration project, however we ended up becoming great friends,” said Sham Idrees. “He is genuine, honest, and a hard-working individual and I see big things in his future.” Malik went ahead to describe him as someone who is very honest and a helping personality.
“He’s passionate about his work. He studies his audience very well and with the intentions to make them smile and spread positive messages he produces content,” added Malik. Jafry takes Imran Khan, ex-cricketer/ philanthropist/social worker and now a politician, as his inspiration.
“His leadership quotes and champion-like approach towards life motivated me to do what I do best,” said Jafry. When taking time off from Facebook, Shahveer spends time either playing cricket which he loves doing or spending time with his family and friends.
Kids’ Club
Shahveer believes that his sense of humour is what people like and it is something that he really portrays – the characteristics of being funny. On the other hand, he tries to stay away from controversial topics like politics and religion. “One of the many messages that I intend to give through my videos is never be too radical in the way you see things,” said Jafry. “Others might see it differently and that is totally fine.” He plans on becoming an actor and has plans on directing a project. When asked about his work, he accepted that he is completely satisfied when majority of the people like his work and when his videos are performing higher than his expectations. Shahveer believes that being famous comes with both pros and cons. As much as he loves his fan following, he makes it clear where the line gets crossed. “I love my fans but at the same time I have had many crazy fan interactions,” said Shahveer. “However, the craziest one was on Snapchat when someone cut their arm and wrote my initials. I think an act like this is extreme and highly unappreciable.” His all time favourite actor is Shah Rukh Khan, a Bollywood actor based in India.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22nd, 10 am to 12 noon Bello! The Kids’ Club is having a party para tu! Enjoy themed crafts, treats and games (musical chasy, anyone?) To top it all off, we have a special banana loving guest at 11 am so bring your camera for a meet and greet. No pre-registration is required. Parents must stay with their children. The Kids’ Club is free and open to children ages 4 to 12. * Supplies limited to the first 200 children present. Corner of Ontario and Main miltonmall.com
August 2015 | Milton Villager | 13
Milton Welcomes New Citizens on Canada Day By Laura Steiner Photos by Denise Cooperwhite
J
uly 1, 2015 was a Canada’s 148th Birthday. In Milton, festivities began early with a Veteran’s Breakfast at Victoria Park. Festivities began at 9 am, and attendees had a choice of a back bacon sandwich or two pancakes with sausages. At 11:30 am a solemn ceremony was held at the cenotaph where a pair of wreaths were laid. It ended with Mayor Krantz leading everyone singing Happy Birthday. After that was a parade to the fairgrounds where they held the main event. The Veterans were greeted with applause as they walked along and took their seats in front of the stage. They were served birthday cake first. A citizenship ceremony kicked off events at the main stage. This year 52 citizenship ceremonies were held across the country. Milton Fairgrounds hosted one in the open-air ceremony for 40 new Canadians. The Clerk asked the candidates to repeat the oath in both official languages, and
14 | Milton Villager | August 2015
Canada Day celerations
4 year old Abigayle Esch is getting a ride on a Tortoise
Christian Kelada got to hold a beautiful owl from Ontario Falconry Centre
Dryden Copland just came down the big long slide
invited dignitaries to speak. Others had the option to reaffirm their citizenship. One of the 40 was Romana Malik. Malik came from Pakistan, and lives in Milton. She was determined to take her oath at the outdoor ceremony despite a sun allergy. Becoming Canadian makes her feel as if she has roots. “Now I have some space to stand on. Now I have something to say that it’s mine.” Similar sentiments were echoed by the Edringsinghe family. They are originally from Sri Lanka. Getting Canadian citizenship represents a new phase in life. “It’s like welcome to your home.” He feels as if it’s “a new life, a new future.”
Following the oath-taking the new citizens made their way through a receiving line picking up their citizenship certificates. The line-up of dignitaries included Halton Member of Provincial Parliament (M.P.P.) Indira Naidoo-Harris, Member of Parliament (M.P.) Lisa Raitt, Mayor Krantz, and Councillor Colin Best. Raitt reminded the crowd of Canadian history. “Canada is oftentimes called a nation of newcomers. But you know what? It’s all about the hard work, and the good decisions of the generations that came before us,” she remarked.
Canada’s first Prime Minister Sir John A. MacDonald came from Scotland. Birthday cake was served following the ceremony. The day ended with fireworks at dusk. This was the second citizenship ceremony I’ve attended this year. At both of them, I’ve talked to new Canadians after taking the oath. They’ve helped me realize Canada is a land of opportunity, and a beacon of hope.
Maggie Melanson, Catherine Enair and Marta Choma
The Mastalerz family. Beata, Olivia and Julian
Urban Faria - Parade Grand Marshal
August 2015 | Milton Villager | 15
Andrew and Gregorio from Andrew’s Scenic Acres had some fresh strawberries for sale, which I can tell you were wonderful.
By Ann Kornuta | Photos by Trevor Black
T
he annual Milton District Hospital Auxiliary Strawberry festival was one of the wettest, but despite the rain most of the activities went on as planned. The fundraising fair that donates all proceeds to the local hospital features performances, family fun and of course those yummy strawberries. This event, now in it’s 35th year, was held over at the Milton Fairgrounds located in the heart of Downtown Milton. June Rushak, convener for the event said “this will go on rain or shine. For all these years we’ve never been rained out. We spend six months getting ready for this, and we go with it.”
Dog show featuring performance dogs from movies and TV shows. As always, vendors along with food supplied from Troy’s Diner, M&M’s Meat Shops and the strawberries donated from Andrews Scenic Acres were there to help bring a bit of sunshine to the event. “Up until 5 years ago we always had it at the hospital,” June said. That location at Derry and Bronte Street has been the festival’s home for years in the fields just outside of the hospital. “It was just too much traffic at that intersection so we moved it to the fairgrounds and it has been working out quite well.”
Susan, Rita, Barbra, Jim, Kathy and Megs were on hand selling lots of different strawberry treats to help you forget the rain, their smiles did as well
“Its always a fun family day,” June said. “We have a huge family area here, our teddy bear hospital which will be open in a half hour where children will be able to take any bear or doll that is slightly imperfect and they will fix it. We will have 100 teddys in there and for the first time we will be doing out toonie teddy adoption so the children will be able to adopt a teddy for two dollars over there.” There are always games and fun family friendly activities such as bouncy castles and a huge sand pile for the kids. The b ig f eature i s t he large stage which features local talent from in and around Milton. This year was the first appearance of the BRB K9
16 | Milton Villager | August 2015
Despite the rain there were things to do and stay dry. The Milton Horticultural Society had a flower show in one of the barns.
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August 2015 | Milton Villager | 17
Hospital Expansion Project
Ayesha Khan, Anne Ondercin, Indira Naidoo-Harris, Dr. Rabiya Azim, Azim Rizvee, Nazish Butt
By Kiran R. Khan | Photos by Giles VanderHolt
A
nother pledge for the Milton District Hospital Foundation (MDHF) is on its way.
The Muslim Legacy Initiative has announced a $1 million pledge to support the Milton District Hospital Expansion, as written in the MDHF press release on July 7. “As members of the vibrant community of Milton we feel the need for a strong hospital equipped to serve our residents with the best possible healthcare available,” said Dr. Rabiya Azim, a medical physician and a supporter of Milton District Hospital. According to Dr. Azim, “Milton is the fastest growing community in Canada; so, we understand the importance of supporting our community service partners who work so diligently for our well-being.”
The Muslim Legacy Initiative is open to all members of the Muslim community who understand and value the importance of charity.
The Our Home, Our Hospital Capital Campaign is the most ambitious campaign the Milton District Hospital Foundation has undertaken. The The pledge will run over a course of 5 years funding of this expansion will be shared to the MDH Foundation’s Our Home, between the provincial government, Our Hospital Capital Campaign, as there will be “various events and Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) fundraising initiatives that will take place and the community, as written in the throughout our community.” Press Release.
Standing - Khadeja, Nazish, Shabina. Sitting - Uzma, Iffat
18 | Milton Villager | August 2015
Brian Penman, Mahmood Khan, Azim Rizvee
“The Muslim Legacy Initiative is an incredible gesture, and it shows just how deeply the Muslim community feels about our hospital and our town. It is yet another example of this community’s ongoing commitment to this community and healthcare,” said Indira NaidooHarris, the MPP for Halton.
Other volunteers who are committed to support this initiative include Ayesha Khan, Azim Rizvee, Nazish Butt, and Syed Raza.
The initial effort of this community is to hold a “fundraising gala scheduled for Fall 2015 to celebrate and inspire The Muslim Legacy Initiative will be philanthropy from individuals and named within the hospital once the sponsorship support from business expansion is completed, Dr. Azim added. owners.”
“We are deeply honoured that our Muslim community has chosen to leave a legacy for future generations by supporting our Campaign and we look forward to watching our new partnership grow and mature,” said Brian Penman, Chair of Milton District Hospital Foundation in a Press Release. The funds will be used for specific local share costs, which includes “100% of equipment costs and are vital to the success of the project.” “What we do today will directly impact the future of our children and the generations to come,” said Dr. Azim. “Let us join the esteemed ranks of our fellow Muslim philanthropists to support healthcare in our community.” Anyone who would like to donate, volunteer or assist in any capacity toward this campaign can contact the Muslim Legacy Initiative by phone: 416-264-1111.
Shiza, Dua, Erum and Zainab
New Math MM + B2S = Easy!
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BACK TO SCHOOL = FREE SUPPLIES! Make a purchase of any amount at any participating store or service from August 15th - 28th and receive one mall dollar. Come shopping & spend up to 20 mall dollars at our Back to School Boutique on Saturday, August 29th.* We have a terrific selection of back to school supplies for you to choose from plus a custom tote and the chance to win $500 for you AND $500 for your child’s school. *limit one mall dollar per purchase, while quantities last, mall dollars have NO cash value, are not legal tender and can only be used at Milton Mall on August 29th. Corner of Ontario and Main miltonmall.com
August 2015 | Milton Villager | 19
Brown Pitches Perfect Game for
By Laura Steiner
At age 13 Jessie Brown has pitched a perfect game. It’s one of the rarest feats in baseball where the pitcher allows zero hits, zero walks, zero runs and faces the minimum amount of batters. Brown’s achievement came in the semifinals of a Friendship Girls’ softball tournament in early July. She had two pop-ups. She had a total of 13 strikeouts in the 44-minute game. “It’s a great feeling. Since then, I’ve been trying to improve,” she said in a phone interview. 15 batters came to the plate in the 5-inning semi-final game. Brown started pitching thanks to a pitching clinic given by Head Coach Mindy Wilson. Wilson is a pitcher herself, so she knows exactly what it takes. “Every pitch has to have a purpose. You have to be “on” from the first pitch to the last pitch,” she said in an email. Wilson has been coaching Brown off the field for five years.
It was a busy tournament for Brown. The team played six games over the weekend. Her perfect game came in the fifth game. She pitched as a reliever in the final game. “I am so proud of Jessie. This shows that with hard work you can reach your goals of any altitude.” Wilson said. Brown attributes part of her success to practise. She remembers having fatigue in her arm starting out. “After I pitch a whole tournament I don’t feel any pain.” The other part of it is teamwork. “I was proud of my team for backing me up.” The team includes Shortstop Justine Leakes. Leakes has been playing for 10 years, but this is her first year at shortstop. She caught one of two flyballs during Brown’s perfect game. “After I realized I helped Jessie get her perfect game,” Leakes said in a phone interview. “Jessie’s my best friend,” she added later in the conversation. Both girls want to keep playing as long as they can. “You
20 | Milton Villager | August 2015
Jessie Brown
learn determination, and endurance. As a whole person you definitely get better,” Brown said. “It’s the best sport in the whole world because you’re part of a team. The team becomes your family.” Leakes added. The team has won three gold medals in tournament this year including the one in Windsor. Their next tournament is the Provincials in Vaughn Ontario from August 21-23.
FIRST TIME EVER MONTHLY
FLEA MARKET IS COMING TO THE TOWN OF MILTON
A great opportunity to shop at bargain price in the Monthly Flea Market which will be held every month in Milton. Vendors specializing in different products like Electronics, Clothing, Jewelry, Toys and food will be there to serve you.
n on e to tow 00 PM m o c ll i to 5: ket w The mar from 11:00 AM t Room) s e g dat Banque followin Sports Centre ( n at Milto
015 2 g u 15 A 15 0 2 p 12 Se 015 2 t c 17 O
Project by Event Ontario, for details contact: (647) 290-0267 | (647) 261-3462 | (647) 855-8050
Milton Fairgrounds: 136 Robert St.
Fri: 12 pm - 11 pm Sat: 11 am - 11 pm Sun: 11 am - 8 pm
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DONATIONS TO THE FOOD BANK AND CASH TO SUPPORT THE FESTIVAL ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED
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MILTON RIBFEST August 21, 22, 23, 2015 Friday Whiskey Kiss: 6:00 pm Ty Baynton: 7:30 pm Steve Rivers: 9:30 pm
Saturday
SKROU: 12:00 pm RetroBoogie: 1:30 pm The Groovy Brothers: 3:00 pm Alessia Collarile: 4:30 pm Selective Soul: 5:45 pm The Masters of Rock Show: 6:45 pm Coda (Led Zeppelin Tribute): 6:45 pm Thunderstruck (AC/DC Tribute): 8:15 pm Sonic Boom (KISS Tribute): 9:45 pm
Sunday Where’s Willie?: 12:00 pm Terrie Wheeler: 1:30 pm Uncorked: 3:00 pm The Urban Legend: 4:30 pm Rib Announcements: 5:30 pm Not My Dog/Daniel Meehan: 6:30 pm
August 2015 | Milton Villager | 21
By Salman Alvi | Photos by Denise Cooperwhite
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mothered with visitors, business vendors and many eateries, “Event Ontario” presented their fourth showing of Milton’s annual Eid Gala which transpired in Milton Lions Arena on Thursday July 16. This event is also known as a pre-Eid celebration which is also established as “Chand Raat” (in Urdu) and is habitually acknowledged during the last fasting day of Ramadan. Now for a little background regarding Ramadan. For Muslims, Ramadan is a holy month devoted to prayer, Quran recitation, introspection and fasting during sunlight hours. The Arabic word for fasting “sawm” doesn’t only refer to abstaining from food or drink. It translates literally to desist and encircle abstinence from food, drink, sex and all evil thoughts and deeds in the interest of self purification. Muslims around the world observing the holy month break their daily fast with an evening meal called, “Iftar”. This meal often begins with dates, a few sips of water and something sweet. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is subsequently celebrated with the big day, otherwise known as Eid (Eid-Ul-Fitr to be specific). Founders of “Event Ontario” (Naeem Khiyani, Azhar Akbar, Mubashir and Yasmeena) were jubilant by the assemblage and provided some insight to the objective of the event and their alliance. “The purpose of this event is to gather the Muslim community in Milton and have them celebrate this pre-Eid celebration.”
Event Ontario is a registered organization that provides services to their clients like: cultural galas, flea markets, teaching, conferences, seminars and have recently molded a subsidiary that provides corporate training called “webollege.” There were an abundance of business vendors that exhibited their services for the Milton Muslim community. Many vendors drove from as far away as St. Catherines to sell their services. Nafisa Taj from Heritage Education Funds elaborated on her first time participating in this gala. “I see great potential in Milton and am taking advantage of many face to face interactions with many young families.” Ifrah Shahid’s jewelry booth on the other hand wasn’t a stranger to this night. The Mississauga resident’s business made it’s second appearance and Shahid was thrilled at the attention she garnered. “I try to come here every year so I can reach my target market in Milton,” stated Ifrah. Parallel to any event, the traffic started revving up as the night progressed. Kids took full advantage of the bouncy castles while many queued to savour the “Tornado Fries” that were being churned outside the building. There was truly a bazaar aura in the arena as clothes, jewelry and henna ultimately captivated people’s attention. New immigrant, Ali Raza visited for the first time with his family and was overwhelmed
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Shanzey Ali, Ali Raza, Uzma Ali and Zoha Ali
with this function’s contribution. “I heard about this event from my friends and was excited to see what this Eid gala offered,” explained Raza. Amongst many local dignitaries, Zeeshan Hamid, Indira NaidooHarris, Rick Di Lorenzo and Mike Cluett were also seen in attendance. “I found out about this event cause I was here last year. It’s great to see the crowds of families coming out tonight in celebrating the end of Ramadan. It’s also motivating to see the diversity we have here in Milton along with the increased number of vendors, which also relays our growing economy,” said the regional councillor. The success of this Eid Gala clearly illustrates that Naeem Khiyani and Azhar Akbar furnished a wonderful festival that catered to every age group. With four galas under their belts, it’ll be interesting to envision what the fifth iteration of this Eid Gala will bring to the Milton Muslim Community. For more information on Event Ontario and their services, go to: http:// www.eventontario.com or their Facebook page: facebook.com/eventontario
Aqsa Shahbaz
Syed Samad, Rizwana Aziz and Syed Sami
Indiri Naidoo-Harris (MPP Halton) and Naeem Khiyani (Event Ontario)
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