Ditching The Prom for Nepal

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Pamela VanMeer reports on a 17-year old Ancaster girl who is ditching her Highschool prom tonight- to raise money for victims of the earthquake in Nepal.

The tables are set, flowers primped and the stage is ready for the Ancaster High School prom 2015. Even though Ashley Yu graduated, she won’t be at her prom tonight with all of her classmates.

Instead she’s donating the money she would have spent on prom to help the people of Nepal. “The UN on monday called for 423 million dollars of aid and 22% has only been fulfilled. So, what happens is that we need more funding to help Nepal humanitarian aid and when I see prom I just see it, for me personally it’s not something that’s too important.”

Not only did Ashley donate all of the money she had earmarked for prom to help the victims of the earthquake in Nepal, she also spent the afternoon fundraising.

So far she’s raised $165 by enlisting the help of family and friends. Her goal is to raise five hundred dollars to provide shelter for one family. But she really hopes to raise $10,000.

On April 25th a massive 7.8 magnitude quake hit the region, killing almost 9,000 people, injuring thousands more and leaving many homeless. It’s the worst natural disaster to strike Nepal since 1934.

Ancaster High Principal, Randy Gallant isn’t surprised that Ashley is spearheading this effort. “Ashley is the type of student that she recognizes where there’s a need either in our community or in the world and she absolutely is starting this and wants to help others. So I think it’s wonderful.”

Her classmate, Tess Difrancesco agrees. “She’s always been such a generous person, all through Highschool she’s really made an effort to make a difference and really inspire other people to do that it’s been really evident throughout her Highschool career.”

Ashley was also President of the “Free the Children” program at school and started the “We Stand Together” initiative to promote Aboriginal culture, and the “Bake for Change” to raise money for education in India.

She’s set up a go fund me page for Nepal.