By Sam Donnelly For Ponoka News
The Friends of St. Augustine School Support Foundation in collaboration with Evolution Catering and Events are hosting “Dueling Pianos,” a fundraiser dedicated to raising funds for a new playground for the school.
Coming up on Friday, April 29 at The Peppered Elk, the event will start with $5 cocktails at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m. a four-course meal will be served.
At 8:30 p.m. local performers Cam Hinton and Randi Boulton will take the stage.
According to Christie Remillard, treasurer of the foundation and chair of the playground committee, more than 30 local businesses have donated to the silent auction for the event.
Remillard noted the catering company and restaurant put in a lot of work to make the event a reality.
“They’ve been absolutely amazing to work with,” said Remillard, adding they’ve also received a lot of support from the community for the project.
The fundraiser will help the funding of a new playground at St. Augustine School with the goal being to raise $125,000.
According to Remillard, the original playground built-in 1983 has started to show its age and it’s time for a new one.
Fundraising for the new park started in the fall of 2020. According to Remillard, they have raised $60,000 for the project so far.
She said that they hope to have the new playground built by 2023. In addition to a new jungle gym and slides, the new playground will also have a climbing boulder.
Friends of St. Augustine School have also done other fundraisers to fund the new playground including a bottle drive in the fall that raised $1,000 for the project.
Another bottle drive was held on April 23. Students of the school have also done their part to fund the new playground.
Students participated in a Read-A-Thon, in which students could get sponsors to pay for each book the students read during a given time. Prizes were given away to students who reached certain levels of money raised.
According to Remillard, the Read-A-Thon raised $11,000 dollars for the playground project.
“It was very impressive.”
There are many ways to support the playground project. You can donate to the new playground at www.staug.starcatholic.ab.ca.
Aside from donations, you can help build the playground by providing labour, spreading the word or joining the playground committee.
If $125,000 is raised, St Augustine will apply for the Community Facility Enhancement Program, which will hopefully result in the provincial government matching the amount raised.
The total cost for the site and equipment is $270,000.