The Columbia Chronicle
8 • December 9, 2013
Student-to-student fundraiser shows ColumbiaCares JACOB WITTICH
Assistant Campus Editor AFTER RAISING $11,000 during its
first year, Columbia Cares, a peerto-peer fundraising effort, hopes to generate $12,000 this year to aid Columbia students in need. ColumbiaCares began in fall 2012 and serves as an emergency fund for students, offering food, clothing, shelter and transportation to those in need, according to Delilah Gamble, a first-year arts, entertainment & media management graduate student enrolled in the AEMM Event Management Practicum course that organizes ColumbiaCares fundraisers. Students who qualify for assistance can receive a maximum of $250 per academic year from ColumbiaCares and are eligible to apply regardless of their financial aid status, according to Kari Sommers, assistant dean of Student Life and part-time faculty member in the AEMM Department. To qualify, students must be currently enrolled at Columbia and submit a brief written statement describing their situation to the Dean of Students Office. Most often, students are referred to the ColumbiaCares fund by a faculty or staff member or a fellow student, Sommers said.
File Photo Students decorate ornaments during the 2012 Holipalooza celebration, organized by students of the AEMM Event Management Practicum course. Last year they also started ColumbiaCares, a peer-to-peer fundraiser serving as an emergency release fund for students, to accompany the celebration.
“ColumbiaCares is a great program to me because [if a student isn’t] from Chicago and an [emergency arises] and they need to get home, ColumbiaCares could help with that,” Gamble said. “Sometimes students might find themselves in need all of a sudden, and I believe it’s important to help.” ColumbiaCares was created in conjunction with Holipalooza, an annual holiday celebration also
sponsored by the AEMM Event Management Practicum course, said Stephanie Kosgard, a 2013 AEMM alumna who took the course , which Sommers teaches. Kosgard said the class wanted to create a fundraising initiative that gave back to the school and served as an anchor for Holipalooza so they formed ColumbiaCares because it tied into the generous spirit of Holipalooza.
“We couldn’t really decide on one specific charity to give back to, so we created this emergency fund,” Kosgard said. Since its creation, Sommers said that at least four students have received support during times of need from ColumbiaCares. “What I know about Columbia faculty and staff is that everyone here cares so deeply about our students, and to have a tool to be able
to help when a student is in crisis is enormous,” Sommers said. As of press time, this semester’s AEMM Event Practicum students have raised $1,500 through events such as Big Mouth and the 24-Hour Night during Halloween, according to Sommers. Last year, former President Warrick L. Carter awarded ColumbiaCares a $10,000 grant, which accounted for most of the $11,000 it raised, Kosgard said. The remaining money was raised through fundraising events, including a change drive and selling candy canes. This year’s Holipalooza goal is $12,000, Gamble said. Students in the class have drafted two solicitations from donors for large gifts and are seeking guidance on how to best advance their requests, according to Sommers. The AEMM Event Management Practicum students also sold candygrams in the lobby of the Conaway Center, 1104 S. Wabash Ave., Dec. 2–4 and will do so again Dec. 9–11 in the same location, Gamble said. The fourth annual 2013 Holipalooza celebration will take place Dec. 12 at the Conaway Center, featuring raffles, holiday-themed food, games and vendor booths from local organizations, Gamble said. jwittich@chroniclemail.com
FALL FOOTBALL PIZZA SPECIAL!
1/2 OFF ANY SIZE
WHOLE PIZZA Pick up or delivery! SAT. SUN. MON.
PROMO CODE: CCCFONTANO’S OR STUDENT I.D.
332 S. MICHIgAN AvENUE
fontanosonmichigan.com
312-663-3061 8 • December 9, 2013