Photo courtesy of Sandra K. Banister
Thank you to all those who volunteered for and attended GLEF’s 2012 Auction Gala
Golden Leaf Education Foundation’s 2012 Auction Gala, A Magical Night in Cambodia, proved truly magical. Thanks to the many volunteers and the generosity of our wonderful guests and donors, we raised approximately $61 thousand. This is enough to start construction on our second school, Koh Broteal Elementary School. A small, dilapidated building located in the rural village of Koh Broteal of Pursat Province serves as the school and can only hold 68 students. The children attend school for half the day for the first two grades before they are forced to go to another school miles away. Due to these capacity issues and their inability to travel miles to the next nearest school, many drop out. The village was infiltrated by the Khmer Rouge in the 70s, and many people, including children, died in the killing fields close to where the school stands today.
More than 200 guests attended the auction and enjoyed food provided by Mekong Bistro and wine from Eola Hills Wine Cellars while browsing an array of silent auction items from generous donors around the Northwest.
We awarded several student groups the special “Golden Leaf Education Foundation Outstanding Service Award” for their hard work in independently raising funds for Golden Leaf Education Foundation. Milwaukie High School Interact Club, Sherwood High School Interact Club, Lincoln High School Key Club and Lincoln High School Interact Club representatives were each presented a framed certificate as a sign of our appreciation for their support.
During the event, MC Ms. Oregon Libby Crawford engaged the crowd, wearing a special Cambodian dress hand made by Chan Phirath-Farley. Speakers Mr. Al Jubitz, President of Jubitz Family Foundation and peace advocate, H.E. Heng Hem, Cambodian Ambassador to the United States and Mr. Joseph Yun, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, inspired the crowd with words of wisdom and sincerity. The auction and paddle raise were ran by Mr. Brian Bice, a professional auctioneer who specializes in philanthropic events. Guests watched a touching presentation created by GLEF board members Stephen Bachara and Mony Mao that profiled the next three schools GLEF plans to rebuild.
Bonnearin Sin and her dance troupe wowed the crowd with a very special performance of Aspara Dance, a traditional Cambodian classical dance.
GLEF would like to thank all those who attended, donated to or volunteered for the event. It’s your contributions that make what we do possible. It’s your continued support that will build more schools in memory of genocide victims and in honor of survivors.
