'Â?Day of Change' raises more than $450
Fund-raiser is part of a larger goal of $435,000.
Published Oct. 26, 2004
It's not often a bitter rivalry is used to help out a good cause. Homecoming week, Missouri took on Kansas in the MU-KU United Way "Day of Change."
On Friday, MU volunteers collected change between noon and 1 p.m. at the fountain outside Brady Commons. Contributions benefited the Columbia Area United Way. The University of Kansas will hold a similar event to benefit its local United Way chapter.
MU volunteers raised $484.21.
Athletic department spokeswoman Amy Stuck said KU has not released its fund-raising totals for the competition.
Last year, Kansas beat MU in the "Day of Change" competition. This year's results will be announced during the Missouri vs. KU game on Nov. 20.
The "Day of Change" is part of a larger United Way campaign at MU.
Stuck said MU has a goal of $435,000 this year, and they are trying to get 20 percent of faculty and staff to participate in the campaign. As of last week, MU had raised $257,000.
Stuck said MU is about $25,000 ahead of where they were at this time last year.
The overall goal for the Columbia Area United Way is $2.675 million.
Senior Kyle Parrish was one of the students who helped coordinate the event.
"As far as helping the United Way, we're very pleased," Parrish said. "I was encouraged to see how giving our student body was. Oftentimes college students complain about not having much money."
Parrish and other students promoted the event using posters, chalkboard messages in classrooms and stickers. The students also coordinated a live radio broadcast at the collection site with the help of KTXY/106.7 FM. The radio station drove its van to the site and did a broadcast during the event.
"Y107 was really supportive," Parrish said. "They helped us out all the way."
Parrish said this year will set a goal for next year's "Day of Change."
"We didn't know what to expect money-wise," he said. "Now we have at least some kind of goal set. I think whichever school raises the most money will be the goal for next year."
David Franta, executive director of the Columbia Area United Way, said the money raised in this event will benefit local charities.
"It is going toward local programs only," Franta said. "It will be helping to build strong families. It will also help kids succeed in school and in life, and it will help promote health and independence in local seniors and those without health insurance."
The United Way helps agencies such as Rainbow House and the Boys and Girls Club, Franta said. More than 60 local programs receive money from the Columbia Area United Way.