Guests watched in awe as the main focus of the event, an 8,800 pound elephant lumbered in through the school gates onto the grassy lawn of the campus.
Kids with $5 tickets in hand and broad smiles clambered up the canopy covered steps of the platform for the attendees to lift them onto the red padded saddle covering the elephant’s back.
Khalid, a 4th-grader at Al-Madinah, was thrilled to have the elephant back for a second year. When asked what it felt like way up there on an elephant, he said, "Once you first get on, the elephant shakes a lot ... and then it goes slow."
He was pleased to announce he reached up and touched the leaves of the sycamore tree that shades the grassy lawn.
The theme of the fundraiser this year was celebrating the diversity of Muslim children. To showcase the varied cultures of children at the school, a mural titled "Children of the World," was displayed. Dozens of children’s colorful hand prints and names were dispersed across the mural, which was posted along the classroom trailer wall near the elephant’s pathway. Bordering the mural were listings of 16 countries from which the children were associated.
Bright colored streamers dangling from the ceiling along the sidewalk area of the school celebrated the children’s diversity, as well. Written across the streamers was the word "welcome" in several different languages including Arabic, Gujurati, Spanish and English.
Of course no event is complete without food, all donated by two generous Islamic restaurants. After enjoying the delightful food dishes, guests were treated to the excitement of an auction.
Saleh, a former student of Al-Madinah who graduated this year from Cal State Los Angeles, said he enjoyed the auction best.
"It looked like everybody was having fun," he said. He picked up a DVR recorder for only $32.00.
Another alumnus of Al-Madinah, Summaya, a mother of seven visiting from Gambia, said she had a great time and the school brought back old memories. "It was nice seeing and talking to some of my former classmates," she said.
Al-Madinah School has served the Muslim community for more than 28 years and provides education to students in pre-K through 9th grade.
