“She is so appreciative of all of this. Every time she emails or we talk, she can’t express her appreciation enough. She feels so blessed that she’s been offered this opportunity that would never, ever have happened otherwise.”

Lopezian Mary Jenison is talking about 19-year-old Fadilla Kadir, a Thai college student whose education has been made possible by the generosity of our island community. Jenison hosted a mandala auction in 2006, which raised $4,000 for Fadilla’s education. The young woman, who is studying English and technology in Pattalung, Thailand, has just two years left at Thaksin University. She is working on her teacher credential.

Jenison is holding her second auction for Fadilla’s education fund on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 6 – 9 p.m. at Lopez Center. After enjoying a delicious vegetarian curry dinner, the audience can begin bidding on event dinners from local chefs. Admission is by donation – $10 is suggested.

“I wanted to do something a little different. Instead of auctioning off items or art, we’re offering people a way to get a head start on their fall and winter entertaining,” said Jenison.

Some of the auction items include a feast for 14 cooked by Kim Bast, lunch at Vita’s every day for a year, tapas for 12 cooked by Timothy Maxson, wine tasting for 10 hosted by Bruce Botts, a Chinese dinner for eight whipped up by Barbara Pickering, a Thai dinner for 10 created by Jon and Kira Franklin, and a dinner for 10 by Rebekka Reinmuth. There will also be a silent auction with such treats as jewelry by CiCi and other local art pieces.

Jenison and her husband Dick travel to Thailand every year, and have known the Kadir family since Fadilla was a little girl. When the tsunami hit Thailand and Southern Asia in 2004, the family’s apartment and their only source of income, a food cart, was destroyed. Fadilla, who was a very dedicated student, knew her goal of attending college was highly unlikely.

“At the age of 17, in her last year of high school, she knew she would go into the family business. And we asked her if she wanted to attend university, and she lit up, truly, as if I had offered her the sun and the moon and the stars. She had never considered it because of their financial situation. I was not sure how I could help her do it, but I knew in my heart I would find a way. And so I told her to prepare to go to university. I don’t think she believed me, but I knew my beloved Lopez community would help me get the money to continue her education. I thank everyone who has helped and I look forward to telling Fadilla that her education will continue,” remarked Jenison.

Her goal is to raise $5,000, which will cover Fadilla’s final two years of college. “The thing with higher education is that it’s the living expenses that cost the most. Her college is comparable to a state school, so the tuition is reasonable,” said Jenison.

Fadilla is still extremely committed to her studies – she doesn’t date, she works on all of her holidays, and Jenison says she is “doing brilliantly” in school.

“She is extremely shy when first meeting her. And as your conversation emerges, her really bright, bubbly personality comes out. When she is with her friends in her own language, she is a leader, she’s vivacious. She is dedicated to her studies; it’s a very important thing in her life. She loves to go to school and learn.”

Fadilla is the first person in her family to graduate from high school, so “it’s quite an amazing thing for her to attend a university and complete her dream.”