It was a Yorkton first but it was met with great success.
Over the weekend the Parkland College's held its newest scholarship fundraiser, An Evening in Africa, and it's now being lauded as a great success. Preliminary estimates indicate the Saturday night event, held at the Painted Hand Casino in Yorkton netted approximately $6,000 for post-secondary student scholarships at Parkland College. Once matched by the Government of Saskatchewan's Innovation and Opportunity Scholarship program, An Evening in Africa will fund about $12,000 in new scholarships.
"We are so thrilled that the community put its support behind this brand new fundraiser," says Carol Wiens, chair of the organizing committee. "The turnout was fantastic, and dozens of local businesses really stepped up as sponsors. It's remarkable to see the community give back in this way."
An Evening in Africa was created as a fun night out after several community members noted Yorkton needed such a social function. Demand was very healthy, said Wiens, with about 95 per cent of the tickets sold. Attendees were treated to a live drumming and dancing performance from ONYXSTASIA African Princess Dance Troupe, two New York-style fashion shows featuring the latest spring looks for men and women, and numerous African-inspired appetizers and beverages.
"When you're hosting an inaugural event, you never know how it's going to go," Wiens admits, "but we're so happy with the way it turned out. We raised a lot of money for our students, everyone had a great time, and we learned a few things to make our next night out an even bigger success."
The night allowed Parkland College to highlight its long-standing connection to Africa. In the last decade, the college has invested in educational partnerships with institutions in Africa, several staff members have travelled to Kenya to share expertise and exchange ideas, and college staff have sponsored a young man in his quest to receive an education.
Parkland College is planning a similar fundraising event for 2014 titled Hooray for Bollywood. It will be a celebration of Indian culture and cuisine, as well as the college's connection to India through its international student program.
Contributions to the Parkland College Scholarship Initiative have helped the College maintain the ability to invest in the education and training of residents in the Parkland area. The fund itself has grown from $500 in its first year to over $100,000 in each of the last two academic years.
