BRISTOL, R.I. – The Student Athlete Advisory Committee as well as the Intercultural Center recently hosted the third annual Student-Athlete Date Auction. The two organizations held the event in an effort to raise money for a summer camp in Haiti for underprivileged children, giving them a number of opportunities that they would not normally have.
The third annual Student-Athlete Date Auction fundraiser was co-sponsored by SAAC and the Intercultural Center, who donated money to provide pizza and refreshments after the auction. Five athletes from each varsity team donated their time to helping the young children of the impoverished nation of Haiti. Each group of athletes auctioned off got the opportunity to win a gift certificate to a local restaurant in the town of Bristol. All of the proceeds raised from the event go to Camp Hope: bringing joy to the children of Haiti.
Leah Beidler, a Women's Soccer alumni started the summer camp in Passe Cataboise, Haiti in the summer of 2008. She facilitates the camp every year, and dedicates her time to providing them with meals, arts and crafts, educational activities and sports. Though Beidler has been in Haiti for the past two weeks in Cite Soleil and was unable to attend the auction, her story is featured on the Roger Williams University main website at the following link: www.rwu.edu/newsandevents/features/alumnistories/alumni_lbeidler.htm
Not only was this a great opportunity to help out those in need, but the student-athletes were able to have some fun and enjoy themselves as well. Brigid Houlihan, a member of the Women's Swimming and Diving team, went for a grand total of $74, the highest amount on the evening. Following the event Houlihan said, "I am so grateful to have such supportive teammates that were willing to donate their time and money to a great cause. I'm glad I was able to be a part of this experience, and I am extremely hopeful that it will be a continued success in years to come."
The team members find it helpful as well as fun to bid on fellow student-athletes to support a charity. SAAC has high hopes to get recognition from RWU as a whole, and get more of the students involved other than just athletes.
Leah challenged SAAC to raise $2,000. The third annual date auction came close, producing $1,700, which topped last year's mark when the event raised $1,300. Beidler and the children of Camp Hope are extremely appreciative of the members of the RWU community who are willing to donate their time and money to help give them opportunities that they would not otherwise have, and the student-athletes are glad to support such a worthy cause.
