“Celebrating American Samoa,” a fundraiser set for this Saturday, Nov. 5, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center in Dalles, Ore. is a cultural showcase put on by local students hoping to visit American Samoa next spring.
 
The night will feature traditional Samoan food and entertainment, plus auction items. For tickets, visit celebratingsamoa.eventbrite.com. Cost is $15 before the event, or $20 at the door.
 
Those who wish to simply make tax-deductible donations to the goal of sending eight students and four adult chaperones to American Samoa next April can do so at www.nwasco.k12.or.us/community school.
 
There will not only be traditional Samoan food, but there will also be pizza, plus a photo booth with traditional Samoan clothing, face painting.
 
The brother of WCS assistant Sala I’aulualo will be coming from Honolulu to do entertainment including island music and island dancing.
 
Samoan food will include taro and lau lau with coconut.
 
The notion of visiting American Samoa was born when Samoan students visited Wahtonka Community School for a week earlier this year. The students got along so well that it was decided to send American students to Samoa next.
 
The cost, said teacher Krystal Klebes, is estimated at $28,000 for the entire 10-day trip. Brian Goodwin, principal/teacher at Wahtonka Community School, has written six grants, any one of which would pay the bulk of the cost.
 
The students are planning to be there on April 17, 2017 for Flag Day.

Read more at The Dalles Chronicle