By JACOB MCGEE, Staff Reporter |
Living Independently through Education (LITE) is an organization dedicated to students at Amarillo College with disabilities. The group has many fundraising events throughout the year, but their biggest event is the LITE Luncheon, an annual event held each spring at the Amarillo Civic Center. This year, the event will take place at 11:30 a.m. Friday, April 26, in the Grand Plaza.
The luncheon is geared specifically to raise money for the sole purpose of providing scholarships for students with disabilities, said Kay Campbell, administrative assistant at the Amarillo College Foundation. The luncheon is a huge event and it takes many months and hours to prepare, Campbell said.
When preparing for the luncheon, the organizers canvas Amarillo businesses to get donations that include monetary contributions and items such as jewelry, trips, art, services, gift certificates and food items. These articles are entered into a silent auction. There is also a raffle with tickets sold for $1 each or 6 for $5.
This year, music will be provided by the AC jazz chorale and the event will be catered by Feldman’s Diner, according to Danette White from disAbility Services.
The program is always hosted by a local celebrity and includes personal accounts from past and current scholarship recipients. These students give an overview of their degree plans and the specific needs and accommodations that are necessary.
They also share details about the hardships and struggles they have overcome on their path to achieving a higher education.
Tickets are on sale now for $20 per person. Raffle tickets and event tickets may be purchased at the disAbility services office in the Student Service Center on the Washington Street Campus.
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