Thursday morning, it was business as usual for the small crew of The Village Builder construction company. John Donohue of Albany and Bruce McVicar of Corvallis worked to secure new slabs of sheet rock onto exposed wall supports, while fellow crew members Peter Noone and Tom Olson measured and cut the next pieces to fit.

But, it wasn’t just any job, and the company wasn’t getting paid a dime. They wouldn’t have it any other way.

Village Builder owner Charlie “Chuck” Noone volunteered his crew’s services to help rebuild the fire-damaged office of Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center director Mohammed Siala. The contractor’s crew is donating labor to rebuild the office which that was heavily damaged by an arson fire Nov. 28.

Chuck Noone was shocked when he read about the arson at the mosque and dismayed at news coverage that reflected animosity and hate. “I thought this needed to be turned around,” he said. “Maybe a small amount of kindness would help turn things around a little … I thought if we did something nice in their time of need, that maybe other people would help and it would all kind of snowball.”

In addition to the fire damage, repairs are needed to replace windows and a door that was damaged when the fire department forced entry to quickly extinguish the blaze. The rest of the building – including the main worship area, was unharmed, and there were no injuries. The center’s insurance policy covered the cost of materials for the repairs. “I told (the mosque leaders) whatever their insurance didn’t cover, we would pick up the tab,” Chuck Noone said. “I don’t want them to have to pay for anything out of pocket.”

In addition to the sheet rock, Village Builder’s crew will replace the doors and trim. Noone will pay another contractor, Dan George, for taping and texturing the walls. Volunteers – including residents from the mosque – plan to paint the office.

Mosque members brought the work crew potato soup as a small thanks on Thursday. The arson was a terrible thing, Noone said. But, “it’s an opportunity for community to come together.”

Gazette-Times, 9 December 2010

CORVALLIS, Ore. — People of all faiths surrounded a local mosque Tuesday night to stand up against an arson attack that was possibly retaliation for the foiled bomb plot in Portland last Friday.

Side by side, hundreds of Christians, Jews and Muslims tolerated the rain to stand together outside the mosque.

“We’re here together to shine light toward our Muslim brothers and sisters and say our light and your light are here together,” said Benjamin Barnett, a rabbi.

Elizabeth Oettinger, senior minister of the First Congregational Church United Church of Christ, said a number of religious leaders organized the event to show support for the Muslim community. “We wanted to surround it in fire and light in solidarity and friendship,” she said.

“In the most strongest terms, we all abhor any act of violence against anyone,” said Mohammed Siala, the center’s administrator. He said members have already forgiven whomever set the fire.

“We forgive him or forgave them, not because (we are) outnumbered or because we are weak, but with your support here tonight and standing by your side, we tell them that there is no place for prejudice toward anybody, regardless of the faith or race or nationality,” he said.

“(The) person who did this to the mosque and that person who did this in Portland doesn’t represent the whole community as Muslims and Americans,” said Hassan Armutawa, a Muslim.

While local Muslims have felt the burn of hatred and Islamaphobia before, they said the light from Tuesday’s vigil outshines the hate. Members of the mosque said they were deeply touched and thank members of the community for attending.

Katu.com, 1 December 2010

CORVALLIS — The parking lot in front of the Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center filled Monday with community members and religious leaders uniting against the arson that charred the mosque’s office the day before.

“This shouldn’t happen here – it shouldn’t happen anywhere – but Corvallis is a wonderful, open community,” said Laurie Holst as she stopped by the mosque to drop off a potted plant and card. The gifts were part of a growing cluster of poinsettias, bouquets and cards placed in front of the men’s entrance to the mosque.

Holst has lived in Corvallis for more than 25 years. She went to school at Oregon State and now works there as an adviser for students in natural resources. “This is as abhorrent as what happened in Portland – this is just wrong, it shouldn’t happen anywhere or here,” she said, fighting back tears. “I want these folks that worship here to know that this is not Corvallis … it’s some redneck idiot.”

For Mohamed Siala, the director of the mosque, the outpouring of support served as a silver lining. “This is how the community in Corvallis is here,” he said as he spoke with Benjamin Barnett, rabbi at Beit Am, a local synagogue. “We want you to pray for us and use this opportunity to get closer to each other.”

Barnett said members of his synagogue planned to meet to discuss what they can do to best offer support – fundraising probably won’t be necessary because the damage will be covered by insurance. “The main thing we want to do is show solidarity,” Barnett said. “The news should be that the majority of us want to stand side by side.”

OregonLive.com, 29 November 2010