Student Association Raises $10,000 for IVUmed’s Programs

On March 21st, the Vietnamese Students Association (VSA) at the University of Pennsylvania hosted a charity banquet benefiting IVUmed. The event, attended by around 600 people, took place at Saigon Maxim in Philadelphia, PA.

Through the gracious help of many people in the community, VSA was able to raise $10,000 for IVUmed.

The event included an eight course meal; performances by UPENN’s Pan-Asian Dance Troupe and Lion Dance Group; a fashion show by Temple, Drexel, and UPENN students; and a live auction. VSA also received donated items for the auction. VSA would like to thank Victoria Pham, Dr. Michael Packer, Jimmy Nguyen, Co Cuc (head of the women’s association), Chu Niem (from Lac Hong Magazine), Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen, and many others who helped plan the event, donated money, and provided advertising.

Dr. Packer was the representative from IVUmed. He gave a speech at the dinner explaining what IVUmed does and thanking everyone for attending the dinner. VSA hopes to be able to work with IVUmed again.  VSA would like to express its appreciation for everyone who attended the event and helped in various ways.

Some challenges included reaching out to the Vietnamese community in Philadelphia and New Jersey. Through the support and collaboration from the Vietnamese community, including assistance with local transportation, the event was very successful. The dinner was also aired on SBTN Video Broadcasting Network.