Ladies raise $11,000 over lilac-themed luncheon
April 15, 2010
The 2010 Corban Connection Women’s Luncheon was the 43rd annual fundraiser of its kind. The event, on April 10, was the kick-off for the 2010–11 season of Corban Connection. Two hundred ten guests gave almost $11,000 in gifts and pledges, all of which are slated for campus-improvement projects and need-based scholarships for students.
Deleen Wills, director of alumni services, said, “The ongoing goal for this year’s Corban Connection is $25,000.” Since Saturday’s luncheon was fully sponsored, the $11,000 will go directly toward their goal.
The projects being funded are four student scholarships and two campus improvements. The improvements are: 1) building a new stairwell to connect the student center and an upper-level parking lot, and 2) refurbishing a Horugel, grand piano for the music department. The Horugel, nine-foot grand has served the music department in a large-sized classroom for almost a decade. After being rebuilt, it will exceed the caliber of the grand currently in the Psalm Performing Arts Center and will, thereby, replace it.
The April fundraiser, formerly known as Women for Western, began the tradition of bettering students’ lives in practical ways, above and beyond administrative budgets, in 1967. Over the past four decades donations have totaled $475,000. Corban Connection has provided for remodeled and redecorated residence halls, lighting around parking lots, audio-visual equipment for classrooms, library furnishings, and many other improvements.
“And we always use a part of the money for student scholarships,” said Wills.
Lilac-decorated cake centerpieces, adorning the 29 hosted tables in the Psalm Performing Arts Center, and door prizes such as a massage, gifts from Pure Grace and Beyond Jordan, and gift certificates were part of the program.
The program featured a PowerPoint presentation of Corban’s history, marking and celebrating the University’s 75th anniversary. Also featured was the Jazz Band, Chamber Choir, and student-violinist Elisa Baggenstos, who played a passionate, eight-minute movement from a Grieg sonata. “The music was outstanding—all of it!” commented a guest. “How fortunate and blessed we were to hear it.”
The program also included student stories by seniors Sarah Moran and Kacie Woolsey, who spoke about their travels abroad and the impact it had on their lives. Woolsey spent a term in Costa Rica while Moran put her education training to the test in China.
Corban University appreciates all the Salem-area businesses and individuals who supported the 43rd annual Women’s Luncheon, including:
- ARAMARK Higher Education
- Beyond Jordan, Inc.
- Capitol Coin: Art (’81) and Bev Van Weerdhuizen (’81)
- Caring Touch Massage, Heather Dorr Boyd (’95)
- Corban Alumni Office & Bookstore
- Faith Baptist Quilting Group
- Green Thumb Flower Box Florist, Inc.
- Linda Hoff
- MaPS Credit Union
- Phoenix Inn Suites, South Salem
- Pure Grace, Inc.
- See’s Candies
- Select Impressions
- Texaco Xpress Lube, South Salem: Mark (’82) and Penny Bidwell (’81)
- Wholesale Baking
- Deleen Wills
Contributions are being accepted for the 2010-11 scholarships and projects. If you’d like to participate, please make donations to Corban Connection and send to 5000 Deer Park Dr SE, Salem, OR 97317.
By Jenny Hirschfelder, Staff Writer, Office of Marketing & Communications
503-375-7005 | jhirschfelder@corban.edu
