On Valentine's Day, residents in Lake Travis hoped to spread the message of love and unity after a fire destroyed a mosque last month.
"It's just an opportunity for us to meet more of our neighbors and to show signs of love in spite of this tragic fire,” said Lake Travis Progressives President Mindy Gulati.
Lake Travis Progressives, a grassroots group, led the rally at what is left of the Islamic Center of Lake Travis.
The building was under construction until it went up in flames last month. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Those who attended the rally said they want to visibly send their message, hoping the local Muslims feel the love. They wrote on Valentine's Day cards and hung up red and pink balloons.
"Building people up instead of tearing them down is incredibly heart-warming, especially after our center burned down. To see this kind of love and support out here, it's overwhelming, it's really overwhelming,” said Lake Travis resident Anjum Hanaji.
Members of the local Muslim community said they are working to rebuild the Islamic Center, but they don't have a timeline for when construction will start again.
