The Olds High School Interact Club has organized a banquet and social evening to raise money and awareness for three local initiatives: Hope 4 MVC Kids, Gowns for Grads and a food program for students.
The event takes place March 28 in the Commons at Olds High School.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Supper starts at about 6:15. A raffle will also be held during the event.
Hope 4 MVC Kids is a non-profit society formed in 2013 which helps provide funding for families of children requiring medical help when all other sources of assistance fail.
Gowns For Grads provides locally-donated grad dresses at a reduced price to help families who can't afford the really expensive gowns.
The third beneficiary of the night is Empty On Fuel, a program in which food is made available to students who need - or forgot - lunch or snacks.
"If you forget your lunch, you're able to get a granola bar or something quick at the school in case you forgot your money or your own packed lunch," says Ashleigh Imbery, co-president of the OHS Interact Club, along with Tatum Olsen.
Olsen notes the banquet and raffle event is "student led."
"It's just awareness for our causes," she says. "We would like people to come out and buy tickets and then the money that we raise from tickets goes to the causes that we're supporting.
"As well, we ask people for locally-baked desserts for our dessert auction. The proceeds from there also go to our causes."
Students will guide guests into the event and provide musical entertainment. The club plans to showcase student art as well.
When doors open, guests will have an opportunity to view items up for raffle.
Imbery says the club is conducting the raffle differently this year.
"Instead of calling out numbers, this year we're going to have a kind of poster board with the name of the item that's raffled and the name of the person who won so it's easier," she says.
"And then if you don't pick it up that night, we're able to call you the next morning and tell you it's there, instead of spending an hour-and-a-half calling out eight-digit numbers on raffle tickets. So it's more efficient that way.
"We're really hoping to have it as a really fun night for people to come out and enjoy entertainment, enjoy looking through our raffle items and mingling and talking to people and having a really nice supper, but also doing it for a really good cause. We're hoping to raise a lot of money from a really great night."
Last year's event raised about $7,000. Olsen and Imbery are hoping to at least match that total this year and hopefully exceed it.
"We're asking local businesses too to donate for our prizes. We're not making it a big money thing. It's all about the community coming together and raising money for something in the community," Olsen says.
"We're not making it a big money thing. It's all about the community coming together and raising money for something in the community."TATUM OLSENCO-PRESIDENT OHS INTERACT CLUB
