College Fundraiser Hits Record $174K at B.C. Stampede

The Northern Lights College Foundation just wrapped its best fundraising year ever, pulling in a record $174,425 through a 50/50 draw and lottery at the Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede in British Columbia.

Community members lined up throughout the weeklong event to support local students. The Saturday 50/50 draw alone sent one winner home with $26,280, while Sunday's Mega Lottery awarded $22,145 to another lucky participant.

"This was our strongest year yet, with record sales and our biggest jackpots to date," said Kayla Von Bargen, Development Officer for the NLC Foundation. All prizes have been claimed, and the remaining funds will support students across the college's sprawling service region.

The foundation team didn't stop at fundraising. They also competed in the annual Race Against Hunger at the local Co-op, earning a bronze medal while raising awareness for food security.

Their team, called "Scrubs & Scholarships," included Executive Director Lindsey Borek and several board members. Through that initiative, they donated food supplies plus $500 each to three local food banks: Networks Ministries, St. Mark's, and the Pouce Coupe Food Bank.

The Ripple Effect

The success of both events shows how one foundation's efforts can create multiple waves of support. Students get scholarship opportunities, lottery winners get financial boosts, and food banks receive much-needed resources.

"Whether we're raising funds for students through the Exhibition or coming together to support local families through the Race Against Hunger, these initiatives demonstrate what we can accomplish when organizations work together," Borek said.

The foundation credits strong community backing throughout the Peace Region for making both initiatives possible. Local businesses, organizations, and individual donors showed up consistently during the stampede week.

For a rural college serving remote communities across northern B.C., this kind of grassroots support makes the difference between students staying in school or dropping out due to financial pressure.

The record-breaking fundraiser proves that small towns can generate big impact when they rally behind education and community needs.