Friends of Bearspaw Education Society (FBES) is hoping one large, fancy fundraiser will be the ticket Bearspaw Elementary School needs to upgrade technology and expand the literacy programs in the school, said FBES chair Dawn Collings.
The expansion of the literacy program is aimed at tracking the process of Grade 5 through 8 students to ensure all are meeting literacy expectations, Collings said. She added most of the reading programs are currently focused on the younger students.
“We decided to do this instead of nickel and diming with lots of different fundraisers throughout the year,” she said of the March 16 event called A Grand Night Out.
The fundraiser will allow FBES to tackle projects that require a large cash influx, and Collings hopes the event will take place biannually.
“Most of the time, money is spent on smaller projects,” Collings said, adding the funds will help with bulk purchases, which result in cost reductions.
The group is hoping to raise $25,000 from A Grand Night Out.
The event will be held at the Lynx Ridge Golf Club in Calgary and will include cocktails, dinner, dancing, a silent auction and the selling of artwork created by students of Bearspaw School. FBES is also offering a $20 taxi service with Keys Please for all guests.
Tickets cost $150 per person and can be purchased by contacting Jody O’Rourke at [email protected].
“The silent-auction baskets are made by the kids in the school,” Collings said.
She added each grade was given a theme to build the baskets around and that FBES tried to make the themes grade-appropriate so the younger children could participate in making them.
One kindergarten class had an action-figure theme and a Grade 7 class had an iPhone theme. Other basket themes include pets and golf.
Collings said A Grand Night Out is being organized by FBES with the help of a group of moms who have children in Bearspaw School.
“We’re all kind of taking a piece and running with it,” she said.
Sponsors are still needed for the event and will be provided with tickets to A Grand Night Out, said Collings.
For more information, contact Collings at [email protected].
