STRIPES adds new features for the coming year
The organization plans to raise $1 million by 2015.
Published April 16, 2010
STRIPES held its first fundraising gala Saturday and raised $6,000 to contribute to its endowment fund.
The endowment fund was created two years ago and is a savings account for STRIPES. It aims to raise $1 million by 2015. The money is going toward making STRIPES financially independent from the Missouri Students Association, STRIPES spokesman Andrew Worrall said.
According to a news release, the fundraising gala included a three-course dinner, a silent auction, a multimedia presentation and three speakers. Executives, alumni of the program, family and supporters from the community and university were present.
STRIPES also added a GPS tracking system to the program. Each car has a cell phone provided by STRIPES, and the tracking system monitors the location of the phone. The MU Parents Association donated the money for the system.
"The GPS is a safety matter, because we can see where any car is at any point, and we would know where to send help," Worrall said. "It's also an accountability thing for us. We don't want people wasting time or gas."
By adding the system, STRIPES also aims to contribute to a more sophisticated and streamlined dispatch system in order to improve efficiency for patrons.
MSA approved the budget for next year last week and officially permitted an increase in the STRIPES budget.
"Right now, we have six cars on Thursdays and nine cars on Fridays and Saturdays," Worrall said. "Next semester, we will have seven on Thursdays and 10 or 11 on Fridays and Saturdays, which we're excited about."
The program rents cars from Avis Car Rental. Students who volunteer for STRIPES are generally expected to volunteer five nights a semester, but the increase in cars will not create a negative affect the volunteers.
"We have over 200 members right now, and we ask them to work five nights a semester," Worrall said. "If all 225 try to get five nights, they wouldn't be able to."
STRIPES prefers to retain its employees for multiple years and is creating a more rigid interviewing process, Worrall said.
"We've beefed up the interview and application process," Worrall said. "We're taking a closer look at everybody. Not everybody that interviews and applies gets in now."