Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Lasker raising money to go to Europe

LaDonna SaDa Lasker, who is a life-long local resident and student at Gurdon High School, has a chance to see Europe and to stay with some families in other countries to "broaden her horizons."

She came Thursday to ask Gurdon Rotarians to hear her story and help fund her dream.

LaDonna is trying to raise money for a summer trip sponsored by the People to People Students Ambassador Program.

The local Rotarians gave her $100 of the $5,623 she needs for the trip, which includes zone fees and an insurance plan.

Rotarians told her to come back closer to the May 1 financial deadline and "let us know how close the community fund raiser is getting you to the mark."

Lasker wrote to the Rotarians, "The community is working on a fund raiser for my trip, but I know many people in the community are low income like my family, so I am not sure if the funds will be raised by the deadline.

"So I am asking for your support to help fund my expedition to Europe. It has been a joy and a blessing to even write this letter, seeking funds for this once in a lifetime trip. This is an experience within itself, to seek support for the adventure."

For those wanting to donate to Lakers cause, they should go to US Bank in Gurdon, where an account is set up. If the necessary amount is not raised by the May 1 deadline, Lasker said each persons donation will be returned.

As to why Lasker is doing the trip, she writes, "I have been selected by The People to People Students Ambassador Program to go to Europe to observe lifestyles in many different cultures.

"This will help prepare me to move into a position to grow immensely as a concerned rural African American for my community.

"I am one of 40 students to be selected from the four state area  Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, for this journey.

"Clark County has two students selected in my age group, and I am the only one from Gurdon."

Lasker is the daughter of Ronnie and Sharon Lasker, of Gurdon.

She is a junior, a member of the National Honor Society and an active member of the GHS first division ranking marching band.

She attends Mt. Cannon Baptist Church and says of her European trip, "I may not get to the Holy land, where Jesus was, but I may be able to visit another country outside of the United States to see some of the historical sites that many have only seen in books."

Lasker was president of her sophomore class and has been inducted into the Senior High Beta Club, the Youth Advisory Council and the Ventures Scholars Program.

The stars Lasker shoots for know few bounds. She stated to the Rotarians she aspires to be the first female president of the United States.

At 17, she looks back on her sophomore year and notes she was sophomore maid in the 2004 Homecoming Court, plus she was Miss Congeniality and Most Photogenic in the Miss Gurdon High School Pageant.

She said, "I always think about how I can give back to my community and I have promised myself that if I get the funding to go on this trip I will always be a part of the community from which I come. I plan to always give back to it."