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Local globetrotters waste no time with fundraising efforts

Pemberton local Lorne Warburton went way off the beaten path on his trip to Laos this past spring.

What: Laos School Fundraiser

Where: Wild Seed Enoteca (Mount Currie)

When: Friday, June 18

Tickets: $10

The intrepid traveller took a guided trek that included a stay in a remote, but peaceful village near the Chinese border.

Via the trekking guide’s translation however, he was informed the village lacked a school for its older children. There was a facility to meet the educational needs for young children, but at about 12 years old, village youth were out of options and leaving to work in the jungle.

Since the drain of the young adult population essentially forecasts the village’s demise, Warburton decided to help.

He was quoted $2,000 U.S. to build the school, a relatively minor fundraising project by North American standards.

Since returning to Pemberton, Warburton has wasted no time in getting the project rolling.

He joined forces with Alain Denis and Jimi Martinello, two friends who were travelling concurrently in Southeast Asia. The trio staged their first fundraising event last month at the Garibaldi Lift Co., an exhibition of their travel images, along with a performance by solo acoustic artist Trish Jamieson and dance tunes by DJ Milton.

Warburton says the standing room only crowd brought in approximately $1,400, which in the end, was redirected toward a family in Nepal struggling with medical bills that Martinello met over the course of his travels.

Starting back at square one, the group has announced their second fundraising event Friday, June 18 on the grounds of the Wild Seed Enoteca in Mount Currie.

The event kicks off at 7 p.m. and includes an outdoor encore showing of Warburton, Denis and Martinello’s slides, live acoustic tunes by Jamieson and beats by DJ Kio.

The event also features an outdoor tiki-style bar and a salmon barbecue. Tickets are $10 (not including bar and barbecue), available at the Pemberton Valley Supermarket, Peoples Drug Mart, Nesters Market, Fibre Options, Whistler 1 Hour Photo and the Wild Seed.

For more information call 604-894-5567.