Last Saturday, Nov. 4, the Centralia College Foundation held a gala and auction and raised money to go toward completing the recently opened Bob Peters Field in the TransAlta Commons on Centralia College’s campus.
According to Christine Fossett, executive director of the Centralia College Foundation, 17 local businesses helped sponsor the event and more than 100 total donations were received directly from community members.
She estimated there were just under 200 people in attendance.
“We don’t know how much money was raised, and won’t for a bit,” Fossett said in an email.
Bob Peters Field was officially opened back in May 2023, but some finishing touches are still needed.
Fossett explained the money raised on Saturday would go specifically to fund the construction of permanent bleachers and batting cages.
Aside from the donations, the Centralia College Foundation has also received a $35,000 Ben Cheney Foundation grant to help complete Bob Peters Field, Fossett added. The field is named in honor of longtime Centralia College Athletic Director Bob Peters, who retired from the role on Oct. 31.
The Centralia College Foundation works to provide scholarship assistance to students, recognize faculty, staff and alumni, and create development and enrichment programs.
“For the 2023-2024 academic year, the Foundation awarded over $523,000 in scholarships,” Fossett said.
She added the gala is the Centralia College Foundation’s largest annual event and past years’ galas have helped fund a nursing simulator, a sound board for the college’s theater, the Southwest Washington Flexible Training Center and the Centralia College Foundation’s regional training center, along with funding scholarships for students.
To learn more about the Centralia College Foundation, visit https://www.centralia.edu/foundation/.
