College students across the nation have united with a mission of putting a hat on every child battling cancer through the Love Your Melon Foundation.
The campaign has spread onto Bradley’s campus, and an official campus crew was created over winter break by junior sports communication major Courtney Kunin.
“A lot of my family has had cancer in the past, so it really hit home for me,” Kunin said. “I needed four people to start the group, so I asked four of my closest friends who were really excited about the whole concept.”
Each campus crew across the nation promotes the sale of Love Your Melon merchandise, with the main products being an array of hats. With each sale, one hat is donated to a child with cancer.
Bradley’s crew is in the beginning stages of becoming a full-time organization. Before the club can reach full-time status and officially be part of the Love Your Melon Foundation, members must sell a combined total of 100 hats.
Until they sell 100 hats and accredit it to Bradley’s campus, all orders are taken online. Merchandise will be available to order starting Feb. 1 and to prepare for the upcoming date, Kunin has started advertising through social media.
“Right now, we are very limited on what we can do, and we aren’t provided with any merchandise until we reach 100,” Kunin said. “So our main thing is to try and spread the word right now. We have a Twitter, Instagram and a Facebook page.”
Buyers can choose from a beanie or a snapback style, each available in several different colors. Each hat is $30, but other types of merchandise such as t-shirts and scarves are also available for purchase. Donations are accepted online as well, with $20 equaling one hat donated.
All hats will be distributed to local children’s hospitals or Ronald McDonald House locations. Members of Bradley’s crew get to deliver the hats while dressed as their favorite superhero.
“I am most excited to sell 100 hats and being able to deliver hats to a local hospital,” junior health major Jessi Depke said. “I can’t wait to see their faces and how happy they get. Plus, dressing up as a superhero will be fun.”
Anyone interested in joining Bradley’s crew may contact Kunin at ckunin@mail.bradley.edu.
