(Photo above courtesy of Cascades Academy)
Delaney Newport, a senior in high school at Cascades Academy, has been involved with Ten Friends ever since she was eight years old. Ten Friends is a local organization that supports health and education for the women of Nepal. From an early age, Delaney knew she wanted to be involved with their important work. Initially she set small goals, such as raising enough money for water filters for a Nepalese village. By the end of middle school, Delaney had raised enough money to build two libraries in Nepal.
For the last four years, Delaney has planned and organized a Himalayan Holiday Dinner and Silent Auction, with all proceeds going to support education for women in Nepal. So far, she has raised over $15,000 through these dinners. Her goal this year is to raise $5,000 more; to reach a total of $20,000. That is enough to provide a year of education for twenty Nepalese women. Delaney recruits volunteers to cook the entire dinner and to procure items for the silent auction. She has procured over $3,000 in silent auction donations so far for this year’s event.
This year’s Ten Friends Himalayan Holiday Dinner was held December 12 with all proceeds supporting the Ten Friends Himalayan Education Center and other projects in Nepal. The evening featured a delicious Nepali meal, silent auction and unique holiday gifts straight from Nepal.
Delaney has a special interest in helping involve younger children in volunteer and outreach work. She remembers the impression her brother’s trip to Nepal made on her when she was just eight years old, and wants to ignite that passion for outreach in other young children. To support that goal, Delaney is welcomed children under the age of six to the dinner free of charge.
