Groups raise $70,000 for St. Jude event
By Lara Hendrickson
Staff Reporter

Nearly 500 students will probably be sleeping most of Saturday after staying up all night to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Participants of Up ‘Til Dawn will stay awake from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday in the University Recreation Center as part of the fund raiser. Those participating have raised more than $70,000, which is easily the most raised since the program’s inception, said Abby Crawford, public relations director for the event.

“This is the fourth year at TCU, and the highest previous amount raised was $40,000 last year,” Crawford said. “Our goal for this year was $50,000. We surpassed that and moved to $60,000, and then we surpassed that. We are celebrating their fund-raising victory.”

Trey Doty, adviser for Up ‘Til Dawn, said the amount of time student participants have put in is remarkable.

“Up ‘Til Dawn is a student-run event that gives students an excellent chance to apply what they learn in the classroom to the ultimate goal of raising money for St. Jude,” Doty said. “We have learned that TCU students will go above and beyond the normal expectations of people ages 19 to 22.”

Before the event, every team had to raise a total of $750 to participate through letters, baby-sitting children of faculty members and “canning,” where students stand outside stores, in St. Jude shirts, with cans and ask for donations, said Johanna Cary, a sophomore marketing and management major who is on a team to compete.

The Cary Pierce concert Friday also donated all proceeds to Up ‘Til Dawn, she said. Cary said she is excited to participate this year for the first time.

“It’s a wonderful cause that all students should want to be a part of in the future,” Cary said.

This year, Up ‘Til Dawn will feature live music, performances, games and a casino room, Crawford said. Throughout the night, racquetball, basketball, dodgeball and foosball tournaments will take place, she said. Teams try to win prizes all night long, she said, such as spirit awards, a banner-hanging contest and a top fund-raising prize.

This year, 82 teams consisting of six people are participating, Crawford said. No other year has had more than 50 teams participating, she said.

A presentation by St. Jude will be given so participants can learn about the hospital, Doty said. A patient from Mesquite who’s father was a student at TCU will attend Up ‘Til Dawn so the teams will actually see who they are helping, he said.

Cary said meeting the child will have the biggest affect on her.

“I am most excited to meet the children we are helping,” Cary said. “It is a big deal to see who you are impacting.”

Crawford said she hopes people will want to be more involved in the St. Jude program because it is so valuable as a research and care center.

“St. Jude gives free care to (more than) 4,000 patients,” Crawford said. “ Everything is free. The parents never see a bill.”

Crawford also said it is important for students to understand why TCU participates in the event.

“Every day, St. Jude costs $834,100 to run,” Crawford said. “I think that it’s the only all-campus philanthropy project where everyone is doing the same thing. They work for a year, get to know people they wouldn’t otherwise, and they see the benefits. They get to know exactly where their money is going.”

Lara Hendrickson