DEARBORN — The children’s area of the Henry Ford Centennial Library (HFCL) will undergo extensive remodeling and updating in April. As a result, the children’s area of the library and the mezzanine level of the library are scheduled to be closed from Friday, April 11 through Wednesday, April 30.

During the period of closure of these areas, HFCL children’s staff will be stationed at the library’s adult information desk. They will assist library patrons by retrieving specific items, whenever possible, from a temporary materials storage location. Additionally, a small browsing collection of returned children’s library materials will be available on the second floor of the library.

The children’s area renovation and updating is phase one of an exciting project at HFCL. Library Design Associates and library staff will be working diligently to bring this concept to reality.

The plans for phase one include a theme-based design center entitled An Enchanted Forest, with elements such as an arched entryway into the children’s area, a reading tree house and a child-size puppet theater, a relocation and re-design of the children’s area reference desk and a brand new baby alcove.

The redesign dovetails with the mission of children’s services:  to create an exciting place for children and their families to visit so that they will become lifelong users of the library and its resources.

The project is funded by the Dearborn Public Library Foundation, a non-profit entity established for the purpose of benefiting, promoting and enhancing the Dearborn public library system.

The Library Foundation is seeking additional donations to help with this project, as well as phase two of the children’s area renovation project. That phase includes a redesign and update of the children’s program/story room and new computer tables for the children’s area.

Looking even further into the future, the Library Foundation will be investigating other projects to enhance HFCL, as well as its branch libraries:  Bryant, Snow, and Esper.

To learn more about the Dearborn Public Library Foundation and to find out how you can donate to the project, call 313.943.2037.

Michigan Peace Team sends four to West Bank

WEST BANK —  A four member team of the Michigan Peace Team, ages ranging from 26 – 69, has arrived in the Occupied West Bank. The team will be working with Palestinians, Israelis and other internationals to promote nonviolent conflict resolution.

MPT’s violence reduction team is prepared to engage in a variety of nonviolent methods to de-escalate potentially volatile situations.   Team members accompany Palestinian children to school and shepherds to their fields (both of which are in danger of being attacked by extremist Israeli settlers), and act as international observers at military checkpoints.  Additionally, they join with other Israelis, Palestinians and other internationals in demonstrating against the separation wall Israel is constructing on Palestinian land.

On March 13, 2008, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed the Islamic Summit in Dakar and relayed that violence against unarmed Palestinian citizens continues to escalate. He said that Israel’s disproportionate and excessive use of force against the Palestinians has led to a large number of civilian casualties, including children. “Israel has to comply with the law and international legality and show restraint. We condemn the Israeli attacks on Palestinian peoples,” he said.

Michigan Peace Team was founded in 1993.  It provides trainings in active nonviolence designed for the specific needs of the participants, and deploys peace teams into places of conflict (both domestically and internationally) to reduce violence.  MPT convenes, supports, and participates with local peace action groups and gatherings, and mentors individuals seeking experience with international tams in places of conflict.  It also educates the public to the vision and practice of active nonviolence.  MPT has deployed peace teams into areas of potential violence around the world.

LIFE provides medical books, surgical supplies

to Iraq

Southfield — As part of its ongoing efforts to alleviate human suffering, the American-based relief organization, Life for Relief and Development (LIFE), is preparing to distribute highly quality medical books along with medical supplies to 20 medical schools and teaching hospitals in Iraq. 

 In partnership with Brother’s Brother Foundation (BBF), an American non-governmental organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Iraqi Cultural Attache? in Washington ,DC., LIFE will distribute the medical books and supplies to colleges and hospitals throughout Iraq, through its Baghdad office and several branch offices in other Iraqi cities. 

 The shipment of books and supplies was sent Friday, April 4, 2008,  from BFF’s warehouse in Pittsburgh to LIFE’s office in Baghdad for distribution.  LIFE will attend the event along BBF staff and the Iraqi Cultural Attache? to the U.S., Dr. A. Hadi Al-Khalili.

 Commenting on the cooperation with Brother’s Brother Foundation (BBF), Dr. Mujahid Al- Fayadh, the president of LIFE said, “We are very proud of our partnership with Brother’s Brother Foundation.”  He added that “Iraq is one of many countries LIFE and BBF are working together on in order to provide educational and medical assistance. This shipment will go a long way towards empowering the country’s health professionals to enhance the medical treatments for their fellow citizens.”  

 For further information LIFE and its projects around the world, please call 1.800.827-3543 or visit www.lifeusa.org.

Superintendent candidates narrowed to seven

DEARBORN — Thomas D. McLennan & Associates presented the Dearborn Board of Education with a list of seven candidates for superintendent at a special public meeting held on Monday, April 7, 2008.  The group of seven includes: Dr. Felix H. Chow, Former Superintendent Hamtramck Public Schools and Flint Public Schools; Dr. William L. DeFrance, Superintendent, Eaton Rapids Public Schools; Dr. Ernando F. Minghine, Superintendent Westwood Community School District; Mr. Paul J. Rogers, J.D., Superintendent, Madison District Public Schools; Mr. George J. Sassin, Superintendent, Clintondale Community Schools; Dr. Theresa (Terri) M. Spencer, Superintendent, Harper Woods School District; Mr. Brian J. Whiston,  Director of Government & Community Services, Oakland County ISD.

The candidates will take part in Board interviews scheduled for Friday, April 18 beginning at 6:30 p.m. and April 19 beginning at 9:00 a.m. The interviews are open to the public and will be held in the Board Room of the Administrative Service Center, 18700 Audette, Dearborn.  Second round interviews will be scheduled with those candidates selected after the first interview. 

ACC research project

chosen for summit

SOUTHFIELD — The Arab American and Chaldean Council’s (ACC) Public Health Research and Education Department’s abstract poster on “Prevalence of Hepatitis C Among Arab & Chaldean Americans in Southeast Michigan” has been chosen for the National Minority AIDs Council’s (NMAC) 2008 HIV Prevention Leadership Summit. The meeting will be held June 11-14, 2008 at the Detroit Marriott Hotel at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI. ACC is scheduled to present its poster on Thursday, June 12, 1:30 – 2:00 p.m. and Friday, June 13, 2:30 – 3:00 p.m.

This year’s Summit will feature institutes, workshops, roundtables and other sessions that are primarily intended for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grantees and has a major focus on CDC-funded HIV prevention efforts.

ACCESS, AAI hold political training seminar

DEARBORN — About 60 people who hope to mobilize their communities in the upcoming presidential election gathered at the University of Michigan-Dearborn on April 4 and 5 for voter engagement training organized by ACCESS and the Arab American Institute.

The two-day training program laid out strategies for encouraging voter registration, voter education, and getting out the vote through door-to-door and other community organizing efforts.

Taleb Salhab said the training also went beyond voting, offering tutorials on budgeting and fundraising for grassroots civic engagement in general.

The group included students, older community leaders, labor activists, Arab and Hispanic Americans.

The training was conducted by the progressive nonprofit group Wellstone Action, which offers various training workshops on political action.

Salhab said the idea was to reach a broad range of voters through the participants, who could each influence dozens in their own communities.

He said that ACCESS and other groups have conducted similar programs for several years, but that the desire for widespread involvement this year seems to be more intense.

“There seems to be a lot of interest this year in particular. We want to give them the tools they need to be involved.”