Nov. 26, 2012
April Wefler
[email protected]
In the spirit of benevolence this holiday season, many are giving back to the community. One way is through the university’s Club Fundraising Competition.
The Club Fundraising Competition is a UCCS challenge similar to the Indy Give campaign. Indy Give started on Nov. 1 and raised about $128,000 by Nov. 15.
“I think it’s really emphasizing the importance of engaging your community,” said Jesse Perez, a graduate student and the competition coordinator.
“Each individual donor probably isn’t donating more than $50, so you can see how big an impact each individual can have,” said Perez.
He added that the UCCS competition is asking for a minimum donation of $10 to help reach a $500 goal. “Little donations add up to a big number like that,” he said.
“Traditionally, when colleges offer volunteer opportunities for students, it’s usually in the form of things they donate their time for. This is unique because we’re not asking them for their time; we’re asking them to contribute financially,” said Perez.
One hundred percent of the donations go directly to Peak Education, Perez’s alma mater. Peak Education is a local nonprofit that support students facing economic and social culture barriers.
According to its website, Peak Education’s mission is to “inspire students to become well-educated, self-fulfilled adults who enjoy their life work, are engaged citizens and give back to their community.” The program also helps students become confident individuals with goals for their futures.
“The goal is to guide these bright students to college, and a majority that participate come to UCCS,” said Perez. “By supporting Peak Education, then you’re also supporting UCCS.”
Perez noted that the idea is to get the community involved and to not restrict the funding to clubs alone. He recommends that participating individuals talk to family and other friends.
The competition has prizes for the organizations that get the most individuals to donate. First-place prizes include $200 in the student organization’s club account, a pizza party and recognition in the local newspapers and in the Peak Education newsletter.
The organization will also be awarded with a Community Engagement Award at the annual ROAR Awards Ceremony. Second place receives the same prizes as first but without the cash prize.
“We’re hoping they’d be able to boost the club morale and help with their own membership,” said Perez. “I think it’s really important for college students to feel like they have a say in their community.”
Students who would like to be involved with the fundraising competition can contact Perez at [email protected].