Salaam Club prepares for its 71st Annual Holiday Gala

Club Elects New Officers, Board of Directors

December 2, 2016 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Salaam Club members come together for a group photo. Photo courtesy of the Salaam Club of New York

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The Salaam Club of New York is preparing for its 71st Annual Holiday Gala, to be held on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the El Caribe Country Club, 5945 Strickland Ave.

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award honoree is Dr. Salim Sfeir, chair/CEO of Bank of Beirut. All proceeds from the event benefit the Salaam Club Foundation.

The Salaam Club was founded 71 years ago by Lebanese and Syrian immigrants in Bay Ridge. It was formed in 1945 as a fraternity of men of Middle Eastern descent. In 1994, the Salaam Club Community Fund was established to benefit local organizations such as the Guild for Exceptional Children in Bay Ridge.

In 2008, the Salaam Club Foundation was formed. The foundation conducts turkey drives, donates funds to the Salvation Army and helps children in need and senior citizens. The group also raises funds for St. Nicholas Home, an interdenominational residence for elderly individuals on Ovington Avenue in Bay Ridge.

Each year, the Salaam Club Foundation holds a dinner dance and selects a recipient to receive the funds raised at the dinner. In 2013, the foundation donated the $190,000 it raised to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

In 2006, the members sent money to Lebanon to help build a school library. Club member John Abi-Habib later traveled to Lebanon to attend the groundbreaking ceremony that marked the start of construction.

At the club’s most recent meeting, President Pierre Dabagh welcomed his successor, Joe Avignone, and Vice President Larry Ayoub. This year’s elected officers also include Edward Mafoud, Gregory Lutfey, Elias Moussalem and Adel Baghdady. The new board of directors is composed of Jani Barghash, Dr. Pierre Hindy and Tony Fallah.