Langara talent show raises money for disadvantaged kids to play
The show is fundraising for Right to Play, an organization that helps buy recreational equipment for communities without it
Reported by Myra Dionne
Langara College’s first talent show is raising money for children’s activities, proving that play is not limited to sports.
Danielle Lee and Simran Sandhu, kinesiology students and co-founders of Langara Students for Play Club, have organized Langara’s first talent show as a fundraiser for Right to Play, a global organization that helps children and their communities through sport and game related by providing equipment and coaching. The talent show will take place on Nov. 23 in A130, the main auditorium of Langara’s Building A, with tickets being sold for $5.
The club, which was inspired by Right to Play, was formed at the beginning of September. Although their focus is primarily on sports, Sandhu said she wanted to raise funds with a talent show because it’s something that Langara has not done before.
“There’s no, like, Langara Idol, there’s nothing artsy. And I’m really into music so I wanted to see if there’s more talent here,” Sandhu said. “You can’t really raise money off of doing sports. I guess it’s an indirect way of connecting it.”
Moving beyond sports
Community engagement coordinator for Right to Play, Dee Dorrance, said the organization is also expanding beyond sports to include art, music and drama. She said talent shows unite people in fun and powerful ways.
“We’re not just a sports organization and I think that’s a common misconception people have about us. We really do use play in all its forms,” Dorrance said.
Wide range of performers
The talent show currently has 12 confirmed acts including singers, stand-up comics and poets.
Manley Xu, founding member of the Langara Choir, will be participating at the talent show as part of a singing trio. He said the event is a good way of adding more campus culture, which he feels the college is lacking.
“Langara is sort of a transfer school,” Xu said. “There’s just less of a feeling of like, ‘oh yeah, this is something that I want to build.’”
With no specific donation goal in mind, Sandhu just hopes people will buy tickets.
“It’s the first time we’re doing it and if it’s successful then we’ll try to do something like an open mic,” Sandhu said.
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