Project FINE Car Wash Supports the Simply FINE Stars
On Wednesday, July 15th, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., Project FINE volunteers and staff hosted a car wash event, held behind Cabin Coffee in St. Charles. Car Wash attendants hosed down the cars, then hand scrubbed and dried them clean. Car owners were able to park their cars to be washed, while they enjoyed lunch and coffee inside Cabin Coffee.
Project FINE is a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating the integration of the ethnically diverse people of our region, providing opportunities for education, information, referral, and empowerment for immigrants and refugees. It has served Winona County and its surrounding area since 1990. Project FINE has offices in Winona and St. Charles.
Youth volunteers at the car wash were members of Project FINE’s GRAB Camp program, or Girls Reaching Above and Beyond. GRAB is designed to aid girls between the ages of 10 and 18 to discover their identity and strengths and create a roadmap to pursue their dreams. The GRAB program includes mentoring, volunteering, and monthly meetings. Participants explore their personal goals and ways that they can reach them. They discuss leadership and gender issues, and create lasting relationships with girls and women of all ages in the community.
Dolly Yang, Program Coordinator the GRAB Camp, stated that the purpose of the camp was for girls to “come together and discuss the hardships that they are facing, whether at school or at home.” They find a common ground in discussing their experiences. They also discuss leadership and investigate what it means to be a good leader or role model. Camp participants look at what traits are needed for someone to be a good leader. GRAB is funded through the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.
GRAB Camp participants Rosie Rojas of St. Charles and Jenny of St. Charles helped scrub and dry cars by hand. Rosie volunteered for fun, while Jenny stated that she volunteered also “for fun and because I want to help and raise the money.” Janelly of St. Charles stood with a sign advertising the car wash on the side of Highway 14. She said, “it’s very good to volunteer. It feels good. It also helps get more and more people involved.”
All proceeds from the event were to benefit the Simply FINE Stars. The Stars will be performing in the Dancing With Winona Stars event on August 15th. The funds raised are to support the Project FINE College Education Connection Scholarship Fund. This fund provides scholarships to youth from immigrant and refugee families who are pursuing post-secondary education. Begun in 2009, this scholarship fund has so far provided financial support to twenty-four local students to help them realize their academic dreams. Besides the car wash, cans have been placed around St. Charles to raise more donations.
St. Charles Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roubinek is on the Project FINE Board or Directors and will be one of the Simply FINE Stars in August, dancing in the Dancing with Winona Stars event. It will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Winona State University’s McCown Gymnasium on August 15th. A panel of judges will score the dancers. The winner will be determined through a combination of his or her dance score and the amount of votes raised. To vote for Roubinek, donate in one of the cans located around St. Charles. $1 equals one vote. 100% of the vote money goes directly to fifteen local charities and projects that are part of the competition.
