Eating clubs raise funds for victims

From male auctions to rock concerts, eating clubs have come up with creative ways to raise money to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Cap and Gown Club will be donating the $1,000 it won in a dodgeball tournament last spring, as well as supplies, to a school from the region struck by the hurricane.

"We're working on picking a recipient so we can arrange a donation of school supplies, books, or whatever they need," Cap President Matthew Klitus '06 said. "Since plenty of cash has been donated already, we thought a donation of necessary supplies that might not be replaced immediately would be more effective."

Meanwhile, Rachel McQuaid '06 and Yuna Larrabee '06, the community service chairs of Cloister Inn, are planning a Cloister Male Charity Auction for Sept. 30. All of the proceeds will go to the American Red Cross' Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.

"The charity auction will involve auctioning off some male members of Cloister for dates, although the event is open to anyone who wishes to watch or bid," Larrabee said.

Ivy Club's night auction, which was members-only, raised over $4,000 for the Red Cross fund. Terrace Club is also planning to hold a male auction on Oct. 21.

Other events included benefit concerts. Cottage Club featured "The Outline," a punk rock band from California, in an event last week that raised $1,000. Proceeds will be sent to the American Red Cross.

Quadrangle Club's Sept. 15 benefit concert collected $3,500 in voluntary donations. The concert drew 500 people to hear 15 student groups and five guest speakers, including student victims of the hurricane.

Just three days later, during Lawnparties, Quadrangle Club hosted a Jurassic 5 concert that raised around $5,000 in t-shirt sales. Quadrangle Club and ICC President Jamal Motlagh '06, who organized the t-shirt sale, said that proceeds went to the collective student fund organized by the USG.

In addition to these charity events, all of the eating clubs are coming together to coordinate a clothing drive. Quad Vice President Jackie Lasaracina '06 is joining with the USG to plan the drive, which will last through Sept. 30. Every club will have its own collecting bin, and at the end of the drive all of the donated clothes will be sent to the Salvation Army.

While there has been widespread inattention to eating clubs' community service in the past, the combined efforts of all of the eating clubs have made a significant impact on hurricane relief.

"The community service efforts on the part of the clubs are often overlooked or unnoticed," Cloister President Andrew Muir '06 said.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

In this case, however, the eating clubs have created a clear link between the student body and those in need.

After this level of success, some eating clubs may consider future endeavors for charity.

"As of now we don't have more fundraising events set," Cottage Vice President Matthew Fitzpatrick '06 said, "but I do think we'll try to do something else this year."