Clubs on campus are participating in care week, a once a semester event where clubs can raise money for charities of their choice. Different campus clubs are raising money for Typhoon Yolanda victims and organizations like Child’s Play and HART.
The Laugh Out Loud Improv Comedy club and the Filipino club are both holding events where all proceeds will go towards typhoon victims in the Philippines.
“We originally planned to give the money to an African water charity,” said Christian Schmutz, president of the Laugh Out Loud club. “But, we planned it before the typhoon hit. We’re having an improv comedy show and we’ll donate the money from the ticket sales. All of us love doing improv for the sake of improv. We’re in a position where we can really help people we can raise a significant amount of money that can really make a difference for people in the Philippines. We get to do what we love and help people at the same time.”
The show will be held on Saturday, Nov. 24 in room 213 of the Crabtree building. Tickets are $3 in advance and $5 at the door.
Before the typhoon hit, the Filipino club wasn’t planning on participating in Care Week.
“The typhoon hit the Philippines on a Saturday (Nov. 9) and we decided that following Monday to do the fundraising,” said Andrea Soleta, Filipino club president. “We didn’t know about Care Week. We wanted to do fundraising for typhoon victims, so we contacted BYUSA and they told us about Care Week. It the was right timing. Even though we’re very far, we feel like we have to help them (the victims) in our own little way.”
The club will be holding a benefit concert on Friday, Nov. 22 in the Wilkinson Center Terrace. Tickets are $5. Local bands and artists such as Stylo, Postcard Rail, The Fellows, and Eric Corpuz will perform at the concert.
The BYU Allied Health club and the Sci-Fi fantasy club, Quark, are teaming up to hold a fundraising event for Child’s Play, an organization that raises money to buy enrichment activities for children at Primary Children’s Hospitals.
The Allied Health and Quarks clubs will be holding a Super Smash Bros tournament on Friday, Nov. 22 at 4p.m. in 3222 of the Wilkinson Center.
Monica Huang, VP of fundraising for the Allied Health club, is looking forward to doing something fun that’s for a good cause.
“Being blessed with so much at BYU, we thought it would be great to give to a charity that provides kids with opportunities to have fun. We just thought that playing games so that kids could play games was perfect,” Huang said. “Child’s Play has the goal of raising 3 million dollars. Our goal is to make $1000. If we raise enough money to buy one child a toy on their wish list, all the time and effort I have put in would have been worth it. If this event is successful, we want to do this next semester, possibly turn it into a once a semester event for years to come. ”
Rather than holding an event, BYU HART, a service club that works with sending humanitarian aid to Africa, is selling raffle tickets, wristbands and water-bottles. All proceeds will be going towards HART, a nonprofit organization that goes on surgical missions to Africa.
When fundraising for HART, club member Ephraim Taylor said it comes easy because it’s going towards a good cause.
“It makes me feel great, I think it’s really easy to approach people when it’s for a worthy cause,” Taylor said. “It will make a real impact on people’s life’s. It’s simple, just on campus, but effective.”
Although planning these events and putting together fundraising opportunities can be stressful, club members know it’s for an important cause.
“Sometimes I feel overwhelmed at the daunting task of putting on such a large event for the entire school, but then I have to reflect on the reason why I am doing it,” Huang said. “College can be a selfish time because we are focusing on our education so that we can be successful. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but through service, I can step outside myself and use my education and skills to benefit others.”
