ALGONQUIN COLLEGE
They raised $36,215 - Event Management students help make wishes come true

The Ottawa Chapter of the Children's Wish Foundation has $$36,215.20 more to grant wishes to children with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses thanks to the hard work of Algonquin College Event Management students.

Photo courtesy of Felicia Birmingham

And also thanks to those students, the program is that much nearer to hitting the goal of donating $1 million to the organization by 2017.

The Event Management graduate certificate students announced their "Wish Events" total at a Wish Wrap Up Party on Thursday.

The graduating students, who entered the one-year program in January, put on seven "Wish Events," in late June and July, including a Mexican event called Ole Mole It's A Fiesta, an evening of cultural encounters called Journey Around The World, a circus, Le Cirque des Reves, held at the Museum of Nature, and A Parisian Street Fair, a Paris-themed dinner.

And they did all this with a budget of zero. All services, including lighting, decor, entertainers, silent auction items and raffle items were donated, while any meals provided as part of the event, were paid to the venue from their ticket sales.

"I am very proud of what the students accomplished and especially grateful to the industry mentors, evaluators and suppliers who step up year after year to support the Event Management students and program," said Sandy Ouellette, who teaches in the program and was the students' primary professor.

The faculty and students of the Events Management Program were awarded the Group Philanthropic Award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2010 for this work and have received accolades from various industry groups as well as the College community.

In the fall of 2012, the Algonquin College School of Hospitality and Tourism reinforced the commitment to the partnership with the Children's Wish Foundation with a media announcement stating Event Management students will continue to work with the charity towards a $1-million contribution goal.

"We are proud of student accomplishments, past and present," said Ouellette. "Over the past 10 years, Event Management students have raised in excess of $900,000 for the organization and granted wishes for numerous children and their families."