Published June 30, 2015
The 鈥淯p 鈥榯il Dawn鈥� (UTD) St. Jude fundraising organization at the University of Louisiana
at Monroe competed in the national Executive Board Fundraising Challenge and finished
in the nation鈥檚 top spot, raising over $11,000 in 30 days.
The group took to social media to boost their donations, and throughout the month,
the team climbed the national rankings to ultimately come out on top, ahead of Texas
Tech University, who raised $7,865.
Katee Fairchild, UTD executive director said, 鈥溚孛� Up 鈥榯il Dawn started the new fundraising
year by going to the first annual regional retreat with Louisiana State University
and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. While there, we gathered ideas about
how to better our fundraising, get more teams registered, get creative with side events
throughout the year, and we also set our yearly fundraising goal at $40,000.鈥�
The team raised 27 percent of their yearly goal during the month of June, and nearly
$4,000 on June 29, alone.
From left:聽
Sandra Lara, regional St. Jude rep.; Laura Jennings; Nirali Patel;
Shelbi Penny; Courneishia James; Ashton Mason; Ashley Lyons;
Olivia Barfield; and Katee Fairchild.
Laura Jennings, director of Student Life and Leadership and 网曝门鈥檚 UTD adviser said,
鈥淲hile we were very excited to get second place last year, we made it a goal for ourselves
to be first in the nation this year. We could not have achieved that without the tenacity
of our dedicated executive board, none of whom would quit until we were number one.
I admire them so much for their generosity and selflessness at such a young age.鈥�
The top-two schools received funding and travel for all of their board members and
staff advisers to attend the annual St. Jude Collegiate Leadership Seminar in Memphis鈥攁
three-day workshop which provides students with fundraising skills and new ideas to
guide them toward a successful fundraising event for St. Jude.
UTD serves as the university鈥檚 fundraising group for St. Jude Children鈥檚 Research
Hospital for pediatric cancer treatment. The group puts on several annual events to
raise money including letter sending, Trunk or Treat, a themed 5k, and much more.
鈥淚 think this is a great example of how generous the people in our lives really are,鈥澛燜airchild聽said
. 鈥淭o beat out other, much larger, schools in the United States is an amazing feeling
for the 网曝门 Up 鈥榯il Dawn members.鈥�
网曝门 UTD board members for the 2015-2016 school year are Austin Burkes of Dehli; Katee
Fairchild of Epps; Nirali Patel of Monroe; Olivia Barfield of Dry Prong; Ashley Lyons
of Shreveport; Ashton Mason of Natchez, Miss.; Courneishia James of St. Martinville;
April Stelly of Arnaudville; Shelbi Penny of Walker; Silvienne Sint Jago of Bonaire;
Danielle Potter of Monroe; Lindsay Moore of Marshall, Texas; Caitlyn Martel of Bunkie;
and Brianna Barron of Arnaudville.
For more information, or to help 网曝门 鈥淯p 鈥楾il Dawn鈥� reach its yearly goal, visit 网曝门 Up 'til Dawn
