Domesticated Divas partnering with local schools for fundraising events

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on December 20, 2022.

Herald photo by Justin Seward LCI student Anna Hodgkinson applies a sparkle tattoo on the arm of seven-year-old Aubrey Mutch during the LCI Holiday Market.

LCI in conjunction with Domesticated Divas Events hosted its Holiday Market to fundraise for the band and drama programs on Saturday.

There were 60 vendors on hand, including a couple of student-led tables.

“We’ve paired up with the LCI band and also the drama department to help raise funds for the programs that they need or whatever they need funding for,” said Courtney Samuels, of Domesticated Divas Events. “And so we put on a Holiday Market here and all funds raised, 100 per cent gets donated back to the school programs.”

This is the inaugural event between LCI and Domesticated Divas Events.

“I just volunteer my time and I organize the market for them,” said Samuels. “Because I have such a large reach, they ask for help finding vendors and then I will gather the vendors, make the floor plan (and) help spread the word as well. They also help spread the word with emails.”

“A lot of the school fees are increasing but people’s wages aren’t increasing,” said Samuels. “So for parents that possibly might be struggling, but they want to give their child the best and put them in the programs that they deserve. I feel that every child should have 100 per cent equal chance as the next child and some might not have that opportunity. And so with the extra funding, this might give that child that does not have that opportunity financially the equal opportunity.”

There was $2,000 raised for LCI. The band and drama departments will be splitting the funds.

“All the additional funds that we get from sources such as these, the Christmas market here, the additional fundraisers that we do throughout the year, just help augment the program and the program offerings that we have here at LCI,” said Samuel Yamamoto, LCI band teacher. “So for example, as a band program, we’re taking the high school band and high school jazz band to Anaheim (Calif.) this spring and all the money that we are getting through here contributes to each of the students who are helping run this fundraiser.”

Yamamoto said it’s a win-win for everyone.

“It’s a win-win for the community,” he said. “It’s a win-win for partners such as Domesticated Divas Events and it’s a win-win for the school.”

DDE did a market back in November with Agnes Davidson School and there are more schools interested in the fundraising partnership.

“We’d like to partner with four schools a year to give back,” said Samuels. “And so moving forward, they will be annual events.”

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