A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
5
December 3, 2015
R
OMULUS
- W
AYNE
Helping hands
HYPE gives away holiday turkeys
Romulus to light holiday tree
More than 150 residents in Wayne and
Westland enjoyed a Thanksgiving turkey
and trimmings provided by HYPE
Athletics and AsHC.
HYPE is the managing
partner of the athletic
center in the City of
Wayne.
Ali Sayed, CEO of
HYPE, along with mem-
bers of his staff, city vol-
unteers and representa-
tives of the Wayne
Westland Community Schools District
helpedhand out the turkeysNov. 24.
Wayne-Westland Superintendent of
Schools Michele Harmala thanked Sayed
and his partners for “helping those in our
community.” She said that of the 12,000
students in the district, “about 70 percent
have needs.” Sayed said this is the fourth
year HYPE has provided Thanksgiving
meals and he thanked the Lebanese
American Heritage Club (LAHC) for part-
nering with HYPE this year to help serve
the community. Meals were also distrib-
uted to families in Dearborn, where
HYPEalsohas a facility.
“It is called partner or perish. When
you come together, you succeed,” Sayed
said.
Wassim Mahfouz of LAHC said, “We
joined forces to serve the greater good of
the community. Thank you for allowing us
thehonor andprivilege of serving you.”
Amanda
Dybus,
Family Resource Center
Director and Kelly Bohl,
assistant superintendent
in the Wayne-Westland
Community Schools
attended the distribu-
tion in Wayne to thank
Sayed and to help pass
out turkeys.
The effort was made possible with sup-
port from Walmart, Marathon Petroleum
Company, Meijer, UAW Ford, Comcast,
Fifth Third Bank, Saad Meats, Greenland
Market, Dearborn Fresh, DTE Energy,
Ziyad Brothers Importing, Comcast,
Faygo, Humana, Fast Splash, The
Salvation Army and Rizzo Environmental
Services.
“We are grateful to our partners for
their unremitting support. This annual
tradition will allow us to serve close to
4,000 people who will be able to enjoy
their Thanksgiving Holiday this year,”
Sayed said.
Local high schools fromMetro Detroit
sent the captains of their football teams to
help with packing and distributing the
meals.
The annual Holiday Tree Lighting
Ceremony in Romulus is planned for 6:30
p.m. tomorrow at the heated pavilion locat-
ed in Romulus Historical Park, 11147 Hunt
St.
“We are happy to be keeping all of the
festivities down at the park this year by
enclosing our beautiful pavilion and heat-
ing it so people can comewarmup and par-
ticipate in activities before and after the
tree lighting,” said Mayor LeRoy D.
Burcroff.
There will be refreshments, pictures
with Santa available for $3 each and holi-
day craft vendors at the event.
Prior to the tree lighting, families are
encouraged to purchase tickets for a special
“Dinner with Santa”. The $5 admission per
child includes the opportunity to meet and
mingle with Santa before enjoying pizza,
snacks, a craft and a photowithSanta.
For more information or to purchase
tickets for Dinner with Santa, contact the
mayor's office at (734) 942-7571.
Ali Sayed helps distribute Thanksgiving turkeys to area families.
Volunteers, from left, Corky Hayes, John Rhaesa, Amanda Dybus of the Family
Resource Center; Brian Haddad; Kelly Bohl, assistant Wayne Westland Schools super-
intendent; Ali Sayed, CEO HYPE (front row third from right); Irene Ivanac, of HYPE (sec-
ond from right) and Pat Hartford were on hand to help hand out the Thanksgiving
meals.
Sweet endings
Chef Walter D. Banks, wearing toque, Assistant /Sous Chef Antoinette Perry, also
in toque, and student sous chefs in the culinary arts program at Romulus High
School achieved both quantity and quality in their holiday donations recently.
The team baked a total of 50 cherry, Dutch apple, pecan, pumpkin and sweet
potato pies which they delivered to the annual holiday luncheon at the Romulus
Senior Citizen Center Nov. 17. Extra pies were given to the seniors to take home
and enjoy. The Romulus High School Culinary Arts Program, now under Banks'
direction, was created to develop more experienced chefs and food service
managers in a recovering economy, a spokesperson noted. Students learn all
aspects of operating a kitchen, customer service, hospitality, menu design and
safety standards.
When you
come together,
you succeed.
”
