The rattling sound of pocket change can be annoying, but members of Up ‘til Dawn don’t run from it.
They encouraged visitors of Orange Leaf last Friday night to give all the pocket change that they could, because at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, that change adds up to something big: saving lives.
Up ‘til Dawn, ULM’s fundraising group for St. Jude, holds many fundraisers over the course of the year to benefit the hospital. Their giveback night at Orange Leaf on Tower Drive in Monroe was just the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year.
“Every semester we try to do something where we involve the community as well as students, and we typically do give back nights light this,” said Katee Fairchild, Executive Director of Up ‘til Dawn and senior medical laboratory science major.
Aside from receiving 20% of all sales made at Orange Leaf from 5-10 p.m. Friday, Up ‘til Dawn members also took small donations inside the restaurant.
Fairchild said the beauty of raising money for St. Jude is that it only takes a little from each person to produce a large sum.
“Even a penny difference can change the way St. Jude runs,” said Fairchild. “It can be something as simple as five to ten cents.”
The group likes to see as many people donating what they can as possible, since it takes about $2 million to run the hospital everyday.
This summer, ULM’s Up ‘til Dawn chapter placed first for St. Jude’s national Executive Board Fundraising Challenge. The group’s Executive Board raised over $11,000 in 30 days. Their total now sits at $16,790.
Members of Up ‘til Dawn said their’s one reason why they do what they do.
“You’re fighting for kids that can’t really fight for themselves,” said Fairchild. “It’s a good feeling to know that you’re giving someone a chance.”
Danielle Potter, a sophomore pre-medical laboratory science major and Up ‘til Dawn Freshman Teams Chair, knows that her organization is making a difference.
“1 in 5 of every child that has cancer dies,” Potter said. “We’re trying to save the babies.”
Fairchild said they will be selling t-shirts from 11-1 in the SUB on Monday to raise money for the hospital too.
Up ‘til Dawn isn’t just a fundraising-based organization; they also strive to be involved otherwise on campus and in the community. The group hosts events like Trunk or Treat during Halloween season, and early Friday they volunteered to help incoming freshmen during Move in Mania.
Potter said its important for incoming freshman, who know nothing about the campus, to feel welcomed because it encourages them to get involved in different organizations such as Up ‘til
“It helps the freshman get to know us and also lets them know that there is someone on campus to help them,” Potter said.
