LITTLE WOMEN PRODUCE SECOND FUNDRAISING GALA TO KEEP THEIR PROMISE TO AFGHANISTAN GIRLS

PRESS RELEASE:

A gala performance and auction on April 17 is designed to continue the formidable fundraising capacity of Little Women for Little Women in Afghanistan, with all proceeds helping them to keep their promise to young girls of Afghanistan.

“A Night Out with Little Women” is produced by the Little Women of the Okanagan, where the national organization was founded four years ago. This is the second “Night Out” gala fundraiser --- the first one, in the fall of 2007, was a resounding success.

This year, the goal is to provide “a little dessert and peace” for all participants, along with colourful performances that celebrate peace and hope through education. There will be both silent and live auctions.
Performers will be announced in early April.

Based on their resounding logo, Education=Peace, the elementary-aged girls have to date raised more than $250,000, part of which includes matching dollars from the Canadian government. These funds are taken to facilities in Afghanistan where they are used to pay for teaching materials, salaries for teachers of girls and women, and sometimes for food and shelter.

Under the previous Taliban government, females were not permitted to be educated, and some continue to be threatened for attending classes. This was the critical knowledge that galvanized 9 year-old Alaina Podmorow of Lake Country in the fall of 2006. She founded the first chapter of Little Women at Davidson Road School, working with an established volunteer group in Calgary called Canadian Women 4 Women in Afghanistan. There are currently ten Canadian chapters of Little Women , and Alaina has spoken dozens of time to audiences large and small, and been interviewed by media, from local to national.

“It's about awareness. We want to show people that girls can do anything they dream of if given the chance. We want to raise money so that girls in Afghanistan have this chance, too,” says Alaina. “It’s going to be such a fun evening, with lots of music, really good desserts and great auctions.”

Alaina invites everyone to come to the gala. “It is so important. We need to build a bridge of peace so that little girls in Afghanistan can go to school without being afraid.”

The gala takes place at Creekside Theatre in Lake Country on Saturday, April 17 beginning at 7 pm. Tickets are $40 each and are available at the District of Lake Country office or by phone at 250-766-9309.

For more information, contact Chapter Assistant Jamie Podmorow at 766-0854.