Dear Al-Bireh Family & Friends,
After careful consideration and evaluation of the ongoing spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the United States and abroad, the Al-Bireh Society (ABS) Board of Directors has taken the difficult decision to cancel our 2020 convention that was scheduled to take place in December at the Gaylord Hotel and Resort in Denver CO. Our informed decision was based on our ongoing discussions with the Colorado Department of Health, Tri-County Health in Aurora, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other public health authorities from the State of Colorado. As a result of these discussions, we have concluded that holding the convention as planned, is impractical given the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic and the obstacles it creates for both our members (especially those traveling from abroad) and our scheduled programming. Our primary concern is for the wellbeing of our members, guests, and hotel staff. Our fears of community spread are of the highest concern. The decision to cancel this year’s convention has been a difficult one, as we looked forward to hosting it at the beautiful Gaylord Hotel and Resort in the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado. We are left disappointed, but remain committed to getting through these challenging times with you.
We want to thank those of you who have stepped up and assisted our COVID-19 Relief Fund which raised over $120,000 to help individuals and families severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are incredibly proud of our Al-Bireh family and hope more of you will consider supporting the ABS in future programs. The ABS is committed to keeping our members connected and engaged. We hope that you will support the online virtual programs that we will host throughout the 2020-2021 year.
We wish you and your families continued safety and good health.
Respectfully,
The Al-Bireh Society Board of Directors
Dr. Reema Wahdan
Maref Arafat Quran
Summer Hamad-Hamdan
Sana Kahook Ityem
Maha Hamad
Anas Amireh
Vivian Khalaf
Ahmad Farah
Murad Ottallah
Basel Bahhour
Nader Salem