Students Raise More Than $48,000 for St. Jude

Nearly 300 University of Mount Union students spent their Friday evening at the Up ‘til Dawn finale event, taking part in numerous activities and celebrating the money they collectively raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Up 'til Dawn is a student-led, student-run, philanthropic program hosted by colleges and universities nationwide to raise funds specifically for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

 

Just before the clock struck midnight students on the executive board revealed that Mount Union students raised $48,783.55. This fundraising total made Mount Union one of the top 10 fundraising schools in the nation for 2011.  Over the past three years, Mount Union has contributed more than $200,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

 

Students at Mount Union have been raising money over the course of the last four months by writing letters to family and friends asking for donations to help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital find new treatments for cancer, sickle cell disease and other catastrophic childhood diseases.

 

“I am honored to have been part of this philanthropic effort,” said Abby Honaker, a senior English writing major of Baltic, OH and the executive director of Up ‘til Dawn.  “Being able to watch students from all over campus come together to write letters in November and then celebrate in February is extremely rewarding for not only the executive board, but the entire Mount Union community.”

 

The finale event included a variety of activities for individuals to enjoy all evening from 8 p.m. to midnight including raffles, card making, music, t-shirt tie-dying, massages and henna tattoos, among others.  Several Mount Union organizations volunteered their time and funding to help make this program a success including Mount Union After Hours, the Raider Programming Board, the Student Athletic Training Club and Student Senate. Local businesses also contributed prizes and food.