The following was submitted by Conestoga College students after an intense semester of Project Management assignments to focus on Women’s Crisis Services. Our sincere gratitude for all of their hard work and leadership through these projects that raised funds and awareness for abused women and children.
Par-Tea for Women
By: Victorian Furtney and Hannah Kelly, Conestoga College
Conestoga College Bachelor of Public Relations program had partnered with the Women’s Crisis Service of Waterloo Region to fundraise for the rebuild of the new Haven House in Cambridge. The fundraiser Par-Tea for Women was held on Saturday April 2, 2016 at Symposium Café in Kitchener. It is safe to say that group members were not aware of all the work WCSWR does for women and children of the community, and it was only after Alan Sharpe had explained to us that we were fully aware. The very touching and emotional presentation that Kourtney presented showed the reality of the women and children who use WCSWR.
Being only a group of five, planning an entire fundraiser in approximately three months seemed nearly impossible at first. As we began to move forward in the project, all of the team’s creative juices started flowing creating an exceptionally successful fundraiser in the end. The biggest challenge for this group was finding a venue. With no given budget, the Par-Tea for Women group was looking for a venue that would virtually cost them nothing. After a few weeks of searching, they finally settled on Symposium Cafe who was willing to give them the space for free, and also prepare all the food for the 40 attendees. In the end, Symposium Cafe was a great fit, given the tea party theme for the fundraiser. The teamwork displayed by this group was exceptional. With each week, the team members discussed what was to be completed, and kept a list of upcoming tasks to be fulfilled in the coming weeks. The group’s organizational skills were put to their full extent and kept the group cohesive and cooperative through the entire planning process.
The event overall was deemed as a success. With the goal of raising $1,000, the Par-Tea for Women group surpassed its goal with raising a total of $3,760. All 35 guests that attended were made aware of the services Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region provide, and the impact they have made on society. The group itself was able to reach close to 2,000 people via their Facebook page and social media presence.