This April, BSGE had an Eid Potluck for students and their family. The event was filled with fun activities and good food, helping celebrate the important event. With solid planning and great assistance from the community, the potluck was a great success.
The potluck was held on April 3rd, around a week before Eid itself. The holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the religious month of fasting for Muslims. The potluck featured traditional dishes from the Middle East & South East Asia, an entertaining Kahoot, and a henna booth.
Following a prayer at sunset, as Ramadan was still under way, people began to eat. There were a multitude of local delicacies, all of which were graciously donated by a local business (Aladdin). They defined the potluck, providing the backbone of the entire event.
In terms of fried dishes, there were Chicken Samosas (a pastry with chicken inside), Parippuvada (Deep-fried Lentils), and Jalebi (churro-like fried treat made with flour batter). Other dishes include Aloo chops (potato with ground beef inside), the traditionally South East Asian Chicken biryani (aromatic rice & chicken), and Curry chickpeas with egg. All of these dishes tasted great, with each having their own classic flavor.
In terms of drinks, the rooh afza was a notable addition. Made with rose petals, the syrup was mixed with water to produce a great-tasting beverage. It is a staple of Eid, thus deserving its place in the potluck.
Volunteers and guests alike all agreed on one thing, the Eid potluck was a great, well-executed event. Organizers Abida and Syeda were widely applauded for their hard work in the event (which was their CAS project), toiling tirelessly to make the dinner a memorable one.
The people interviewed all agreed, they loved the event. “It’s a great community,” said one guest, “I really had some fun.” Another remarked, “I loved it. I love the food. I love the people.”
The adult supervisors for Eid potluck also had great praise for the planners. “Look how beautiful this is,” stated AP Shonna “does this look like a regular cafeteria?” Dr. Page “was incredibly proud of the students who organized this, Abida and Syeda.”
Abida thanked the people who helped. “It was really fruitful seeing everything come together,” she said, “I am very happy to work with so many people who support me and make sure that I am not fainting in the middle of it.”
The two handled the decorations, placing room decor, wall “lanterns” in a sine wave, and a large cardboard replica of a temple. Abida and Syeda convinced donors to help their cause, crowdfunding the amounts required for the event. Most importantly, they sent letters for the food to a local restaurant. Without the kindness of the small business, the potluck could never have happened.
The most telling part of the whole event was the large number of people who turned up. The entire room was filled with dozens of guests, all enjoying the potluck. This was extremely impressive given it was during the middle of the week on a very rainy day. The turnout was a testament to the advanced coordination and planning made by the team.
Overall, the Eid Potluck was a great experience for all who participated. It was best put by one person who was interviewed, who said the event was “for people who are Muslim and who aren’t Muslim… getting people united together.”