A record amount of more than $335,000 was raised at the 10th anniversary milestone of the 1000 Women: A Million Possibilities fundraising luncheon on June 12, 2019.
Advancement director Kevin Fitzgerald (left), 1000 Women advisory committee
chair Dr. Elena Hernandez-Kucey, NorQuest student Rylee Ross, and NorQuest
President and CEO Dr. Jodi Abbott at the luncheon.
The first fundraising luncheon began in 2010 with approximately 80 people and since then, the growth has been astounding. To date, the movement has raised over $3.3 million to support NorQuest students and more than 800 women, men, and organizations have joined the movement by contributing $1000 or more.
"This movement is about investing in a student's future by removing barriers to education. This movement is absolutely life changing," said NorQuest President and CEO to guests.
Student speaker Rylee Ross touched hearts through her personal story of family hardships and then deciding to make a life for herself that would make her proud.
"That's when I applied to NorQuest," she said. "I am so incredibly grateful and blessed to have received the 1000 Women Learner Access Bursary. There's no way I would have been able to get this far into my studies and this close to accomplishing my first educational goal without it."
The afternoon ended with Dr. Abbott thanking advisory committee chairs, Wendy Kinsella, Patty Taverner, Sheila Witwicky, and current chair, Dr. Elena Hernandez-Kucey, as well as members over the last 10 years for helping to make the movement what it is today.
