(Tenth-grade student, Louisa Lamarre, on a prior service trip to the Himalayan Education Center in Nepal | Photo courtesy of Cascades Academy)
Cascades Academy’s Teen MUSE Club is doing its part to make the world a better place by hosting a virtual fundraiser to benefit Ten Friends, a local organization that works to educate young women and bring health services to remote villages in Nepal. The high school students who take part in the Teen MUSE Club have chosen Ten Friends as their partner because of the impact they can have on young women and children in a different part of the world. “We are excited by the impact we can have on the lives of these girls in Nepal. Our goal is to raise $8,000 at our event, which would be enough to send eight girls to school for an entire year at the Himalayan Education Center,” said Louisa Lamarre, a tenth-grade student at Cascades Academy and long-time member of MUSE Club.
This year’s event will have three components: the online auction, Nepali goods for sale after school and a virtual presentation, dinner and raffle. Online bidding and the sale of Nepali goods will be open from December 13-16. The virtual event and raffle will take place via Zoom on December 15 at 6pm. When individuals register by December 10, they will receive a gift box, which will include the ingredients and instructions for the traditional Himalayan meal, Dal Bhat, and some other Nepalese gifts. During the event, the MUSE Club will share information about the work of Ten Friends and draw the winner of the raffle for a Nepalese gift package.
“We are really grateful to all of the local businesses who donated items for our silent auction: Footzone, Lulu’s, The Bend Store, Clementine’s, Crow’s Feet Commons, Tactics, Taj Palace, Patagonia, Leaping Lizards, Cowgirl Cash, Bonta, Sunnyside Sports, Nancy P’s, El Sancho, Bo’s Falafel, Brother Jon’s, Walt Reilly’s, Roundabout Books, Cosa Cura, Washington, Pizza Mondo, Jackson’s Corner, Grocery Outlet, Bronwen Jewelry and many others who are still considering contributing. We are truly amazed that so many businesses were willing to donate to our fundraiser,” said Ellen Schweppe, another tenth grader at Cascades Academy.
The Cascades Academy MUSE Club is a program of World MUSE, which inspires women and girls to create positive social change from within. Their mission is to connect women and girls to their own sense of purpose as well as to each other, and to provide the tools and support they need to create positive change in their lives, in their communities and in our world. They sponsor over ten MUSE Clubs in Central Oregon, providing mentorship for girls who wish to pursue positive social change. “We are so proud of the young women in our community who are working to raise funds to support women’s education and health services in Nepal. Their involvement in the MUSE Club is a perfect reflection of our mission to inspire socially responsible individuals ready for a diverse and changing world,” said Julie Amberg, head of school.
About Cascades Academy
Cascades Academy is a pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade independent private school located in Bend that weaves challenging academics with experiential learning to inspire socially responsible individuals ready for a diverse and changing world. For questions or press inquiries, please Caitlin Ciannella, Director of Advancement, at 541-382-0699, extension 101.
About Ten Friends
Ten Friends began when two teachers and eight of their friends spent a summer in Nepal. We have seen how poverty, government instability or natural disasters make it difficult for people to realize their hopes and dreams. Children are most affected by these conditions. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and donations are tax-deductible. Learn more at: tenfriends.org.
About World MUSE
World Muse inspires women and girls to create positive social change from within. Our mission is to connect women and girls to their own sense of purpose as well as to each other, and to provide the tools and support they need to create positive change in their lives, in their communities and in our world. Learn more at theworldmuse.org. For questions or press inquiries, please contact Amanda Stuermer, MUSE Founder/Director, at amanda@theworldmuse.org.
