Javaroma raises money for victims of mosque shooting
Co-owner Rami Kassem says tragedy affects him as a citizen and community member
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Yellowknife community is going a step further to help families of the victims of the Quebec City mosque mass shooting.
Donation boxes at all three Javaroma locations across the city will be in stores until the end of the month as part of business owner Rami Kassem's effort to raise money for the families of the six victims of the Quebec City mosque shooting. Here, Javaroma employee Lina Han stands at the cash
register in the Franklin Avenue location. - Robin Grant/NNSL photo |
Javaroma co-owner Rami Kassem set up a fundraiser over the weekend where 20 per cent of the sales from all three store locations were donated to the families of the six victims.
"It's very important because it touches me as a citizen and as a human and as a community," he said.
"We take the initiative, and we hope people will come by to donate and help their fellow Canadian citizens."
On Jan. 29, 27-year-old Laval University student Alexandre Bissonnette is alleged to have opened fire on parishioners of the Islamic Centre of Quebec City shortly after the end of evening prayer. Six people were killed, and 19 others were injured. On Monday, RCMP commissioner Bob Paulson told a Senate committee Bissonnette is a "criminal extremist." The political science student is known to have been inspired by right-wing, white nationalist ideals.
Bissonnette has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder. The RCMP is also looking at whether to add terrorism charges as well.
"Right now we have over 17 orphans from, I guess, two-years old to 14, they need support," Kassem said. "We can't do much for them, but at least if we do a little and if some other businesses do a little here and there in Montreal and Ontario and the Northwest Territories, it will be OK for them."
Javaroma is known for its community-minded efforts. The store provides free coffee to volunteers who participate in Citizens on Patrol and in 2014, after a series of shootings took place at Parliament Hill in Ottawa where an RCMP officer was killed, the store provided free coffee to men and women in uniform for a month.
While Kassem said he couldn't reveal the exact amount Javaroma has raised over the weekend, he did say it is more than $2,000. The money will be sent to ISNA Canada, an Ontario-based Islamic charity, where it will then be distributed to the families.
A donation box is being left out in the stores until the end of the month.
