February 06, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Next weekend’s Up ‘til Dawn finale event will cap another record-breaking year for Western Kentucky University’s fund-raising project for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
As of Feb. 5, WKU had raised nearly $105,000 and should surpass the 2007 total of more than $106,000, according to Kathleen Hennessey, assistant executive director for WKU’s Up ‘til Dawn project.
Last year WKU ranked No. 3 in the nation in Up ‘til Dawn fund-raising and should rank near the top again this year, Hennessey said.
“It’s not about how much money we raise,” said Hennessey, a senior broadcast journalism major from Villa Hills. “It’s exciting to see that we are doing better each year.”
This is WKU’s seventh year to participate in the student-led, student-run fundraising effort hosted by more than 180 campuses nationwide.
More than 40 campus organizations, athletic teams, academic clubs and departments have participated in WKU’s Up ‘til Dawn project this year. About 950 students participated in a two-day letter-writing campaign and sent out nearly 28,000 letters.
“We raised about $72,000 in the month after the letter-writing campaign,” said Kelly Stinson, the project’s executive director and a senior advertising major from Jeffersonville, Ind. “That really jump-started us.”
WKU’s finale event will begin at 9 p.m. Friday (Feb. 15) and end by 5 a.m. on Saturday (Feb. 16) at Preston Health and Activities Center. About 500 to 700 students are expected to participate in the finale.
“Stay Awake for the Kids’ Sake!” is the theme of the night’s events that include music, a hypnotist, a dodge ball tournament, inflatable games, a patient speaker, an awards ceremony and more.
Since Up ‘til Dawn was created in 1998, students at participating schools have raised $12 million to support research and treatment at the facility in Memphis, Tenn. More information about Up ‘til Dawn is available online at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s website at www.stjude.org/utd/
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Kelly Stinson at (502) 797-4928.
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