The region’s professional accounting community has continued its support of local students of accounting and business by announcing further donations to Hunter TAFE and Samaritans.
In 2010 members of the local chapters of the Certified Practicing Accountants Australia (CPA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA) joined forces to help raise funds that would provide education pathways for disadvantaged students.
The Bean Counters Ball is held annually and last November a further $20,000 was raised and will be donated to local welfare agency Samaritans and the Hunter TAFE Foundation. This brings the total amount raised by the Bean Counters Ball to more than $40,000.
Bean Counters Ball Co-Chair, Chad Rapsey, said that the donations program was created by local accountants as a way of encouraging young people into accounting.
“Importantly, we also understood that some young people did not have the funds required to study so we have worked with Samaritans and Hunter TAFE Foundation to identify young people who most need assistance,” Chad said.
“Today’s students are the future, and the funds raised each year at the Bean Counters Ball will help to provide educational opportunities for local people who may be experiencing personal hardship.”.
Representatives of the Bean Counters Ball initiative officially presented a donation of $10,000 to Samaritans at its Student Accommodation first anniversary celebration on 4 June 2014. A further amount of $10,000 will be presented to Hunter TAFE Foundation.
In 2013, the Hunter TAFE Foundation presented the inaugural Bean Counters Pathway Scholarship, awarded to a student who is undertaking a Certificate IV in Accounting. This annual award provides support to a student who is working toward the Associate Degree of Accounting at Hunter TAFE as a pathway to university and eventually CPA or ICAA accreditation. The scholarship is supported by access to services provided by Samaritans.
The 2014 Bean Counters Ball will be held on Friday 7 November and will feature well known scientist and media personality Dr Karl Kruszelnicki by arrangement with Claxton Speakers International.
Image | Lynne Graham and Chad Rapsey
