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Students
sleepless at St. Jude benefit
Friday’s
fund-raiser for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital
celebrated months of hard work.
By
Stacey
Grant
Staff Reporter
.
More than 200 students stayed “Up ‘Till Dawn”
Friday night as they celebrated the end of a yearlong
fund-raising campaign for the St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital.
Amy Morris, a representative from St. Jude, said $55,110
was raised for the hospital, which provides treatment
to children with cancer and other illnesses, regardless
of their family’s ability to pay.
Of every dollar raised, 86 cents goes back to the hospital
and research and the other 14 cents goes to administration
costs, Morris said.
Megan Plate, student director of “Up ‘Till Dawn,”
said she was extremely pleased with how the fund raising
turned out.
“I’m really excited. It’s such a great
contribution to the hospital,” she said.
Plate, a senior biology major, said “Up ‘Till
Dawn” represents St. Jude founder Danny Thomas’
vision: that no child should die in the dawn of life.
“Up ‘Till Dawn” was held from 7 p.m. Friday
until 5 a.m. Saturday at the University Recreation Center.
Through the course of the night, students enjoyed a large
supply of free food, intramural tournaments, massages,
board games, concerts by Free The Leaf and Green River
Ordinance, and a performance by Senseless Acts of Comedy.
Plate said the participants had a great time and the energy
level was high all night. The best part of the night was
the morale dance, which the participants learned at different
points in the night and performed at the very end, she
said.
“The dance keeps their energy high,” Plate said.
“They can perform it and feel like they’ve accomplished
something.”
Chancellor Victor Boschini said in an e-mail that he was
unable to attend “Up ‘Till Dawn” because
of a prior commitment, but is completely in support of
any event that raises either funds or awareness for great
causes like St. Jude’s.
“I think it is such a good way for our students,
who are all so blessed to even be here, to ‘give
back’ a little,” Boschini said.
Junior social work major Melissa Lehon said she has served
as captain of her team for the past two years and will
probably do it again next year.
“I did it last year and had a great time,” Lehon
said. “It’s a wonderful cause and it really
makes a difference in a lot of people’s lives.”
Plate said the best thing about “Up ‘Till Dawn”
is that it unites the students on campus.
“I enjoy seeing people from all over campus come
together and have fun for an amazing cause,” Plate
said. “It touches me to see that so many people care.”
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Meghan
Youker/Managing Editor
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| Free
massages were given to students who celebrated “Up
‘Till Dawn” from Friday night until Saturday
morning at the Recreation Center. |
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