Students crossing Olin Quad last Friday may have seen a familiar sight – members of Delta Upsilon jumping on a trampoline.
Although some may have just assumed they were doing it for fun, DU was raising money for an important cause.
Jump for St. Jude is part of DU’s annual campaign to raise money and awareness for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
St. Jude Chairman for DU Dan Fallon said last weekend’s event did more than just raise money for the charity.
“We raised over $200 during Jump, but more importantly spread the St. Jude message across campus,” he said.
That message is one DU raises money for every year, and has brought in more than $100,000 for St. Jude’s in the last three years.
This year’s goal, $50,000, is well within reach, Fallon said.
Fallon said he thinks this event is an important one because it gets DU members out into the campus community.
“Jump was a success this year because we were able to create awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on Bradley’s campus, while having fun and interacting with students and faculty,”
he said.
In addition to raising awareness
on campus, DU extends their Jump program far beyond the Bradley bubble.
“DU fundraises for St. Jude using the Up ‘Till Dawn program,” he said. “Not only do we fundraise
around the Peoria area, but also throughout the country with our annual St. Jude Letter Writing campaign.”
Senior advertising major Stephanie Schumacher attended
Friday’s event and said she enjoyed its proximity to her everyday
activities.
“I really liked how they had their fundraising right in the middle
of everything,” she said. “It made it so easy to stop by and see what was going on. You didn’t have to go anywhere else or do anything special – it was hard to miss them.”
Schumacher also said she thinks fundraising for St. Jude’s is an important cause.
“Childhood cancer affects so many people and almost everyone has had their lives touched by it,” she said. “If what they’re doing can help one kid get better, then they will have done their job.”
And despite all the work DU members do for St. Jude, Fallon said the fraternity doesn’t take anything from its efforts.
“Our main goal, beyond any monetary gain, is to create awareness
for the hospital,” he said. “St. Jude is a unique place because patients receive free treatment and even have a place to stay free of charge. Every dollar we raise goes directly towards patient care and towards the fight to find a cure for pediatric cancer.”
