Columbia High School’s drama club, The Parnassian Society, is raising money to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland this year. Last weekend, the club held a giant rummage sale at the school, and they raised $8,000.
“We’re now at $53,000 with $42,000 more to go,” said Janet Bustrin, the club’s advisor.
Bustrin said the sale helped get the word out about the club’s fundraising, as they received more donations — including one from local theatre group The Strollers.
Visit the club’s website to learn more.
To donate, visit the club’s GoFundMe site.
Here is a fundraising letter from Bustrin that explains more about the club, the trip, and how to donate:
My name is Janet Bustrin and I am an English teacher and drama club advisor at Columbia High School. We have been invited to perform on the world stage at the renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland this August. We will be representing CHS, the South Orange – Maplewood School District, and our community. I would like to ask for your support in making this happen.
As you may know, Columbia is diverse in many ways, including economically. Some 500 of its 1,800+ students are eligible for free/reduced lunch, the federal measure of economic need. To ensure that all eligible students can attend the Fringe Festival, parents and students are raising funds. We hope to bring down the cost of the trip for all, and to further assist students with greater need. To date we have raised $53,000 which includes monies families have committed. We have a mere $42,000 left to raise by June! You may have seen the News Record article on Tuesday, March 15th? Here is the link: https://essexnewsdaily.com/news/southorange/8430
We look now to the community for assistance in supporting these students. If you would like to donate, please mail a check made out to “Columbia High School” with “Edinburgh” on the memo line and mail it to: Janet Bustrin, Columbia High School, 17 Parker Avenue, Maplewood, NJ 07040.
We would be grateful for your help in sending our talented teens to the Fringe, where they can represent the community, while they broaden their own vision of the world
