Togetherness is one of the core themes of the holiday season and several community organizations came together Saturday to support a group which promotes entertainment and culture all in one.
The inaugural Claus for a Cause fundraiser was held at Casa Ramos Mexican restaurant Saturday afternoon, raising funds to support the work of Raices Hispanas Dance Group. The group has been prominently featured at numerous community events throughout the years, performing traditional Hispanic dance routines at Cinco De Mayo, Dia De Los Muertos and more.
Director Stephanie Vujovic says one of the main purposes of the group is to promote and highlight the Hispanic culture across the community.
The group is currently planning to expand its presence in the coming years, with Vujovic saying they hope to be able to perform for audiences beyond just Emporia’s borders very soon.
To aid those efforts, The Emporia Brown Express, Hispanics of Today and Tomorrow and more teamed up to put on Saturday’s fundraiser that included performances by Raices, the Emporia East Side Community Group who performed some traditional holiday carols and also saw appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus. HOTT President Mike Torres says this was a somewhat last-minute effort that came together beautifully.
Torres says he is proud of how the community came together so quickly to show their support, either by participating or by donating one of several raffle prizes for the event, saying we are fortunate to live in a community that always embraces the spirit of giving.
Saturday’s event managed to raise just over $200 to support Raíces expansion efforts.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News
