Creative Airdrie Society will hold a special fundraiser on April 7 to ensure they can continue to contribute to the education of creative Airdrie students through the Karin Simpson Memorial Scholarship.

"We're trying to raise money to make sure that we can pay it out this year," said Chair Deanna Hunter. "Like many of the other not for profits over the last couple years, you know, we're struggling a little bit financially and we want to make sure we give out this scholarship again this year."

2017 will be the third year that Creative Airdrie Society has awarded the scholarship, honouring Karin Simpson. Simpson was a founding member of Creative Airdrie Society who passed away in 2014. The scholarship reflects her passion for creativity and the arts.

"The board at that time, working with Karin's family, decided to create the scholarship in her name, and it essentially goes to a high school kid from Airdrie, any of the high schools, who has graduated and is going on to post-secondary schooling in some kind of creative field."

Hunter said that the scholarship is awarded not only for the fine arts, but for any field that requires a significant creative element, whether architecture, graphic design, drama or dance.

Hunter hopes through their upcoming fundraiser they will raise enough money to ensure the scholarship can be paid out again this year.

"Bottom line, we'd love to have $500 come out of the evening to be able to make sure we pay this out."

If they are able to raise more money, Hunter said it will be put towards admin costs associated with dispensing the scholarship, and hopefully to expand the scholarship beyond a single $500 award.

You can learn more about the Karin Simpson Memorial Scholarship here, and about the upcoming fundraiser here.

 

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