FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Emily MacDowell

Coordinator, CORAfrica
emilym@corafrica.org
 

Local Nonprofit CORAfrica Hosts First Benefit at Carriage House Cafe:

Ithaca, NY -- November 15, 2007 -- On the evening of Saturday, November 10, 2007, local nonprofit Children of Rural Africa hosted its first major fundraiser at the Carriage House Café. Over 50 guests attended the event, including Nigerian founder Fr. Peter Abue, board members Barbara Watson, Steve Watson, and Derek Cabrera, coordinator Emily MacDowell, intern Liana Thomas, and many volunteers. The event was organized by the benefit committee, which consisted of Trina Schickel, Barbara Watson, Emily MacDowell, Liana Thomas and Jane Calder. Other event volunteers included Ithaca College students Aaron King and Elizabeth Getman, who directed traffic at the event. The two plan on volunteering with CORAfrica in Nigeria this upcoming summer.

The event raised close to $3,000, mostly from ticket sales, but also from donations and purchases of framed photos and Cookin’ with Yams, a recipe book containing both African and American yam recipes. A sample dish of roasted yams from the recipe book was provided alongside a native Nigerian plantain dish. Deserts baked by benefit committee members Liana Thomas and Trina Schickel were on hand to compliment fresh coffee donated by Gimme! Coffee. Wine was also donated from four local Seneca Lake wineries: Shalestone Vineyards, Atwater Estates Vineyard, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars and Damiani Wine Cellars. McCadam Cheese provided Munster, horseradish, pepper jack and cheddar cheese. Service ware was donated by Rick’s Rental World. Volunteer and benefit committee member Jane Calder meticulously and beautifully arranged the flower displays, provided in part by Arnold’s Florist. Mark Chandler of the Carriage House Café gracefully donated the building’s upstairs space for the event, and was very helpful in many aspects of the planning.

Many authentic African elements added to the décor, including statues, masks, hats, and fabrics.

Entrepreneur and board member Derek Cabrera hosted the event and introduced CORAfrica’s founder, Fr. Peter Abue, saying that he’s “the type of priest they make movies about.” Cabrera noted the level of commitment Abue has to his roots in Nigeria and helping his fellow communities.

Abue’s presentation focused on current needs in rural Nigeria and how CORAfrica can help. Education is one of the ten greatest challenges facing rural Africa, he pointed out. And according to the World Bank, “Educating girls yields a higher rate of return than any other investment available in the developing world.” Abue then described how CORAfrica’s programs, including the construction of Community Education Centers, could help improve the quality of education for rural African areas, especially in Nigeria. He described what the organization has accomplished already, including the establishment of a nursery in Ipong-Obudu, a micro-credit workshop for 50 participants from areas in and around Obudu, Nigeria, and the procurement of 10 laptops donated by Cornell University’s Computer Reuse Association (CCRA).

During a question and answer session after Abue’s presentation, many gave suggestions on how to help the organization progress. Valuable connections were made with both Cornell University and Ithaca College associates, including the possibility of establishing internship or exchange programs and collecting books to send to Nigeria.

The event was a success and paved the way for several new opportunities. Fr. Peter Abue will return to the US in mid-May, when CORAfrica hopes to have another benefit. Children of Rural Africa wishes to thank its many volunteers, donors and supporters for making the event a special one.

Children of Rural Africa (CORAfrica) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities for rural children in Africa.

For information: http://www.corafrica.org
Contact: emilym@corafrica.org
Phone/Fax: 607-319-0561

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