AU's Panhellenic Association hosted a kick-off meeting for the Up 'til Dawn campaign last Thursday to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Allie Avishai, director of the fundraiser at AU and a junior in both the School of Communication and School of International Service, said St. Jude's needs AU's support. "It costs $1.4 million each day to run St. Jude Children's Hospital," Avishai said. "That is why collegiate programs need to help out with events like this."
Up 'til Dawn is a student-led, student-run fundraiser, hosted by over 150 colleges and universities nationwide with the goal of helping the children of St. Jude, according to St. Jude's Hospital's Web site.
A number of fraternities and sororities are participating in the event, but Up 'til Dawn is open to all students. Stephanie Branch, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, said community service such as this event is an important part of her sorority's chapter.
"We want to reach out and have a bigger impact on the community," she said. "Plus I like kids, so anything that helps save children is a plus."
Up 'til Dawn consists of several events. First, students must sign up a team of five people and pay a $25 fee. The second event, which will be held Wednesday, is a letter-writing campaign in the Butler Board Room where teams must come with a list of names and addresses to whom to mail St. Jude's information. The teams will meet in the Tavern Nov. 17 and stay up until dawn in support of St. Jude's.
Various restaurants and organizations will cater and sponsor the different Up 'til Dawn events, including Guapo's and Ruby Tuesday. Each team can also win "spirit points" based on its level of participation and involvement. At the end of the night Nov. 17, the team with the most spirit points will win plane tickets from JetBlue Airways.
Scott Kutler, a senior in SOC and member of Pi Kappa Phi, said Up 'til Dawn is a great way to contribute to the community and help kids in need.
"It sounds like a fun way to raise money, and it's nice to see Greeks and the AU community come together to support such a great cause," Kutler said.
Avishai said she encourages all AU students to participate in the program and will be accepting team registration forms until the meeting Wednesday.
