Supporters of Selkirk College came together for an elegant evening on the Tenth Street Campus at Gala 2024 to help raise funds for a stronger rural health care future.
An annual late-November tradition, more than 150 people attended Gala 2024 where they were treated to the best Selkirk College students have to offer in food, service and music at the wonderfully decorated Mary Hall banquet hall. The talents of students in the Professional Cook Program, Postgraduate Culinary Management Program, Postgraduate Hospitality Management Program, Resort & Hotel Management Program and the Contemporary Music & Technology Program were on display at the gathering of community supporters.
Hosted by the Selkirk College Foundation, Gala 2024 raised $25,000 for its Steps to Success Campaign that has a target of $150,000 to be put towards scholarships in the Rural Pre-Medicine (RPM) Program.
“Thank you to everyone who attend and donated, it was an outstanding evening that put an important spotlight on a program that has broad impact across our region,” says Andrew Jupp, the college’s manager of advancement and alumni relations. “To have a room full of people who care so deeply about helping students achieve their goals is really inspiring. The money raised will translate to supporting students on a long path to health care professions. When supported locally most often students return to our communities to continue practicing.”
Current RPM Program students and alumni joined attendees where mingling included finding out more about individual real-time stories of what it takes to forge a pathway towards careers in the health care sector. One of the featured speakers on the evening, Class of 2018 alumna Jocey Terwoord talked about the journey she has taken to become a family doctor. Having just wrapped up four years of medical school and now moving onto a rural family practice residency in the new year, Terwoord spoke of the vital financial support she received during her foundational first steps of post-secondary at Selkirk College.
To raise funds for future scholarships and bursaries, $100 from each Gala 2024 ticket sold was put towards the Steps to Success Campaign. Silent auction, corporate sponsorship and individual donations were also key in reaching the $25,000 raised during the evening.
