Rexburg students and locals are invited to country dance for a cause this Friday at a fundraiser to benefit Mexican youth.
Country dance for Mexico is an event created to support Find Your Path Mission, an organization that aims to support Mexican orphans and youth suffering from poverty. The organization was created by the Bates, a family of 10 who left behind their comfortable life in Utah and moved to Mexico because of their passion for helping endangered youth and orphans.
“They are starting a home and school for youth that are impoverished or orphans down there to help them just give the resources they can to learn and grow and create a safe space,” said Anna Higgins, the organizer of the fundraiser. “They live two hours away from Cancun, which is where a lot of sex trafficking happens. So basically (they are) creating a safe space for youth down there.”
According to the Find Your Path Mission website, their mission is to “help vulnerable youth in Mexico find love, support, and resources they need to build a better future.” This mission is currently in phase one of six which consists of constructing a home and school for the youth in need in Solferino, Mexico. The school will include a library, gardens, a computer and study area and workshops to further education and personal development. The school is estimated to cost $80,000 to complete and has currently raised $10,300.
Higgins, a BYU-Idaho student majoring in dance, decided to get involved with Find Your Path Mission because of her passion for helping young people and making a difference.
“I’ve always been interested in fundraising for causes that I’m passionate about,” Higgins said. “I am not a business major. I’m not in event planning. Quite frankly, I didn’t really know what I was doing getting myself into this, but I knew I had resources, I knew I had connections, I knew I had people who were willing to help. It just needed to get started, and I could be that person to start it.”
The country dance fundraiser will donate all proceeds to benefit Find Your Path Mission. The event will include a raffle for various prizes that have been donated by local businesses and individuals, including a private plane ride. The event will also feature food trucks and a performance by the Spirit of Mexico dance team.
Flyer for the Country Dance for Mexico Fundraiser Photo credit: Anna Higgins
Higgins encourages members of the community to get involved with the event and use their influence to help others:
“You can either spend your time worrying about the problems you can’t solve or use your influence to help those that you can. And this is one of those opportunities where you can use your influence and your little piece of good in this world to help others reach their potential.”
The dance will begin at 8 p.m. this Friday at 309 Profit Street in Rexburg, where the King Round Up country swing dances are usually held. There is a $5 admission fee for the event.
For more information on the event, follow the fundraiser’s Instagram page. Visit the Find Your Path Mission website here.
