A Colwood mom is launching a bursary to help Belmont secondary girls go on to higher education.

As a celebration of International WomenB次元官网网址檚 Day and as a fundraiser for the bursary, Maureen Gusway is holding a dinner, discussion and silent auction at Crossroads Bar and Grill on March 8. Proceeds will go toward her first bursary.

Gusway hopes to seed the bursary with $1,000, which will be open to all female students Belmont secondary.

B次元官网网址淚 am just doing this because I want to see something happen (for International WomenB次元官网网址檚 Day),B次元官网网址� Gusway said.

The bursary idea came after Gusway discovered the theme of this yearB次元官网网址檚 International WomenB次元官网网址檚 Day was creating equal access to education.

Having never attended post-secondary institution, Gusway said she knows how limiting it can be without education beyond a high school diploma.

B次元官网网址淗igh school can only take you so far,B次元官网网址� said Gusway, a mother of six. B次元官网网址淭hese girls are just getting into womanhood. They donB次元官网网址檛 know how strong they are or what they can do until they are given the key.

B次元官网网址淚 want to give money to a woman who wants to better her life.B次元官网网址�

While the she was still mulling over the idea of a bursary, GuswayB次元官网网址檚 friend told her how earning bursaries when she attended Belmont had helped her immensely.

The bursary amount and its criteria hasnB次元官网网址檛 been finalized yet, but Gusway plans to make it an annual project.

Gusway celebrated her first International WomanB次元官网网址檚 Day eight years ago at a potluck and since then it has been a powerful holiday for her.

This year the holiday falls on a Tuesday, and Gusway said itB次元官网网址檚 very important to her that the celebration occur on the exact day.

B次元官网网址淚nternational WomenB次元官网网址檚 Day in some countries is a huge affair,B次元官网网址� Gusway said. B次元官网网址淭o me it has more emphasis on women than MotherB次元官网网址檚 day. Not everyone is a mother, wants to be a mother or can be a mother.B次元官网网址�

The International WomenB次元官网网址檚 Day celebration and fundraiser is March 8, Crossroads Bar and Grill, 1889 Island Hwy. The event is all ages and tickets are $22 with $7 from each ticket go toward the bursary (the remainder covers the meal). Dinner is from 6 to 8 p.m.

To purchase tickets or donate towards the bursary, call Gusway at 250-598-6412.  The deadline to arrange tickets is Sunday at 6 p.m.

reporter@goldstreamgazette.com