“Our neighbor brought us an icebox full of ice, drinks, sandwiches and milk because we had two small children,” Ghazala Khan said. “She was born American. She wasn’t an immigrant, but she said, ‘I know how people feel when they come for the first time.’ Another neighbor also came to help us, and they became my best friends … I’m very grateful for all these people.”

“It’s these gestures that have convinced us that this is place to make a home,” Khizr Khan said. “Hopefully, we’ve contributed to some measure the goodness that we’ve received from people here all these years.”

As they have done in numerous media interviews since the convention, the Khans continued to allude to Trump and his rhetoric, which has at times focused on “radical Islamic terrorism” and immigration from Muslim-majority countries that are engulfed by civil strife and open warfare.

The council’s proclamation drew criticism from one member of the community, Stefanie Marshall, of Albemarle County.

Noting that the community previously has recognized and honored fallen soldiers from the Charlottesville community, Marshall said the council has failed to recognize other Gold Star families in the area in a similar manner.