ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (April 26, 2019) — The students of the Joint Religious School of Congregation Beth Israel and Temple Emanuel are hosting the third-annual African Dinner along with young people from other local faith communities to raise money for The Sara Detweiler Scholarship Fund for deserving students at a rural high school in Kenya. Last year's dinner enabled three teens, who were facing the need to dropout for lack of school fees, to stay in school. The dinner will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 5-7PM, at the Tri-City Jewish Center located at 2715 30th Street in Rock Island. Tickets are $5 and will be available in advance or at the door.
The first recipient of the scholarship has now completed high school in a top position in her class. When she was awarded the scholarship, she had already left school since her disabled father could not gather the money for her fees. The headmaster of Lelkatet High School received the money from the first dinner on a Thursday. The next day, he traveled to the young woman’s home-village, purchased needed school-supplies for her, and she was back at school on Monday morning. She has now been accepted and received a scholarship from the Kenyan government to attend college and study medicine. Two more scholarship recepients are now in their junior year at the public boarding high school. If the dinner is successful, it is hoped that several more scholarships can be awarded.
The idea for the scholarship came from a video the synagogue students saw about a Holocaust survivor who had “paid it forward” by helping a Kenyan student to high school to stay in school. The cause was then championed by local retired educators Sara Detweiler, Sharon Maroney, and Adele Forest who have created extraordinary African-themed quilts to raffle at each of the dinners.
This year’s dinner will feature African-style food prepared under the direction of Aline Nshimirimana of Tanzania, who now lives in Rock Island, as well as the live music of cantorial soloist Sheryl Hassell-Bennett, singer/songwriter David Smith, the Swahili Choir of St Mary's Catholic Church, and the Taranga Drum Group.
Quad Cities singer and songwriter David Smith will perform his original works including songs about the plight of refugees and the role Boys Scouts can have in a child’s life. Smith and his wife, retired professor and quiltmaker, Sharon Maroney, are dedicated to using their arts to promote a passion for human rights. In addition, the scholarships awarded to Kenyan teens will be renamed for Sara Detweiler, retired Rock Island Headstart Director, who has spearheaded the project with the African design quilt to be raffled at the dinner. She will be honored for her tireless efforts to promote education in the Quad Cities and around the world.
