For immediate release

March 30, 2010

Kwantlen PR students raise $7,000 for Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver
Adults become kids again at Circus of the Night

(METRO VANCOUVER, B.C.) Public relations (PR) students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University exceeded expectations when they hosted Circus of the Night, a fund raising event for Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. Through the sale of tickets and silent auction items, the students were able to surpass totals from previous years and raised $6,920 for the local charity, which has been providing young boys with mentors for over 50 years.

With panels of vibrant red, purple and yellow fabric, Burnaby’s Grid Lounge was transformed to resemble the inside of a big top. Guests were served popcorn and caramel apples and took in live entertainment including renowned illusionist Yeeri and a dance revue by Evalex Belly Dance.

“This event is the culmination of months of work,” said Ashley Letts, graduating student and co-emcee. “It’s exhilarating to see it all come to fruition. We can’t wait to hand the big cheque over to Big Brothers.”

Kwantlen PR students are no strangers to philanthropy; each year the graduating class selects a local charity to be the beneficiary of its fundraising efforts. Past recipients have included the Cinderella Project, The Firefighters Burn Fund, and the BC SPCA.

"The students did an excellent job," said Amelia Kennedy, Kwantlen PR faculty member. "They worked extremely hard over the past four months implementing what they had learned in the classroom. It was great to see it all come together for them."

The Kwantlen PR program is distinguished not only for providing the technical expertise to successfully work in PR, but also the strategic thinking and communications management that will help Kwantlen grads to succeed and advance quickly within organizations. Event management is an important aspect of communications, and during the second-year program students plan and organize a special event for a non-profit organization. For more information, visit kwantlen.ca/business/pr

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For more information about this project, contact:
Amelia Kennedy
Faculty, Public Relations
School of Business
Tel: 604.302.9707
amelia.kennedy@kwantlen.ca

OR

For more information about Kwantlen, contact:
Peter Chevrier
Director, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 604.599.2286
peter.chevrier@kwantlen.ca