Holland College tourism students learn to give back
Gail Harding | CBC News | Posted: March 31, 2017 9:00 AM | Last Updated: March 31, 2017
Local non-profits and charities benefit from students' work
Giving back to the community has become a part of the work in Holland College's Travel and Tourism Management class.
Instructor Jennifer Lawton says students who specialize in events coordination learn how to plan an event from start to finish with a focus on fundraising for local non-profits.
"That is where they start planning an event, in their first semester of their second year, that carries over into the second semester," she said.
Students do all the pre-planning including brainstorming, budgeting and how to evaluate the event.
Over the past few years, classes have been able to raise thousands of dollars for local charities.
Lawton says the students work in small groups to organize fundraising events for an assigned non-profit or community group.
"This is a great way for the students to learn the importance of giving back to the community in which they live in and also, what a great way for them to learn how to plan an event from start to finish."
Lawton said the students get a real hands-on experience as a result and learn to work with clients one on one.
Student Courtney Poirier was in a group that helped organize a fundraiser called 'A Fatal Fairytale', a murder mystery gala dinner for the P.E.I. Arthritis Society.
"Basically we had anybody come dressed as any fairytale character they wanted...it was a lot of fun," she said.
Poirier said the money they raised was used to help children with juvenile arthritis.
"It was really cool to put on a successful event and at the end of the day say my group and I were able to raise $800."
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