‘Asha: Hope with Asian Twist’ to Benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Asian Students at Rider (ASAR) will hold Asha: Hope with Asian Twist, a charity event, featuring dance, poetry readings and live music, to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The event begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 10, in the Yvonne Theater on Rider University’s Lawrenceville campus, 2083 Lawrenceville Road.

Last year, ASAR raised more than $3,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and this year the student organization hopes to raise about $5,000 by selling tickets and ad space in the fundraiser’s programs.

“‘Asha’ means ‘hope’ in Hindi. We figured this would be an appropriate name for the event because of the hope it provides for the people benefiting from the charity of choice,” explained Agnus Varughese, ASAR public relations chair, and a sophomore Journalism major.

Students from both the Lawrenceville and Westminster campuses will participate. The event will feature performances from Kultour, multicultural dance group of Rider students, the Rider Dance Team, Sowparnika Dance Academy in North Brunswick, N.J. The event will also include poetry readings, singing and a fashion show, which will feature western as well as diverse, multicultural fashions. Food will also be available during intermission.

Tickets are $5 for Rider students and faculty and $10 for the general public. Tickets are available, starting Tuesday March 31, at the ticket booth, located on the second floor of the Student Recreation Center on the Lawrenceville campus. Ticket booth hours are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.