Ghana fundraiser a great success

A fundraiser that took place over the weekend is helping to build an educational foundation in Ghana.

On Friday, Visions of Change, a Fort St. John non-profit organization, put on a Gala Dinner and Auction at the Pomeroy Hotel. The event helped raise money to improve educational opportunities in rural Ghana.

According to Derrick Laychuk, a teacher at North Peace Secondary School, the event raised $42,000, almost $7,000 more than in previous years.

The organization works with local high school students who will travel to Ghana in March and July to provide aid in building and supporting orphanages in the country. Not only will the students work with children in existing orphanages, but will also lend a hand in constructing new facilities in other locations.

The event included a live and silent auction, including a variety of great prizes, such as a helicopter ride. Students also auctioned off themselves in groups of three to provide ten hours of general labor.

Some students were auctioned off for $2,500. All proceeds are going towards transportation and supplies for the trip.

Laychuk says he’s extremely impressed at how hard the students worked to make the fundraiser a success.

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Laychuk could not stress enough how proud he was of everyone involved as the night turned out to be the greatest success of any fundraiser put on by Visions of Change.