Ann Yang, of Mosgiel, signed up for the Taieri Times 10 fundraiser and will spend the $10 on sweets to give to families as they enter a 30-minute class from 4.30pm on Friday.
The class at East Taieri School would allow families to learn to speak basic Chinese phrases, such as how to correctly address family members such as grandparents and siblings, she said.
Participants would learn how to count to three, say thank you, hello and goodbye and give praise, and ''how to tell off your children'' in Chinese.
Since moving to Mosgiel about five years ago, the most common request from people was to learn how to say ''beef mince pie'' in Chinese.
''I've been asked a lot,'' Dr Yang said.
The Chinese translation was ''niu rou mo pie'' but if you found yourself craving a pie in Shanghai, you would struggle to find one, Dr Yang said.
Entry to the class was by donation.
''Anything from $2 to $1million and all the proceeds go to the Taieri Community Facilities Trust.
''It will be good to have a pool and to give back to the community - it's lovely here.''
If the facility was built, she vowed to use the pool to learn to swim, a skill Dr Yang had not acquired when living in Suzhou, a city west of Shanghai.
