Throughout the month of October, the Ashland University bookstore and the Ashland County Cancer Association teamed up to raise funds for breast cancer awareness by selling custom t-shirts. With each purchase, $5.00 will be donated to the locally based group to help raise funds for patients who will utilize them for treatment.

The bookstore has been working with organizations to fundraise for various causes with this being one of the many this semester. 

For many in the community, ACCA has been a great help for covering costs and giving help when needed. This is very true for the bookstore’s manager Amanda Brown who agreed to start the fundraiser. 

“This is the first year we have done something like this, especially since we have the resources in store so this is where it started,” Brown said. One of the many aspects of the bookstore is the embroidery and design station located in the back where anyone can get a shirt created to their liking.

Brown, a longtime Ashland resident, has a personal connection to the ACCA as her grandmother fought through the common type of cancer. 

“My grandmother had breast cancer so this is near and dear to my heart,” Brown said. 

Her family utilized the services the ACCA offered which made a great impact on them as a whole. 

Brown sees this as a way of giving back to the ones that helped not only her but many others in the county. 

The AU bookstore works with a great number of student organizations and groups to help give back to the community. Currently, there is a canned food drive that is being done by the Men’s Basketball team and the Cheer/Dance team. For each non-perishable food item brought in, a 10% discount will be given and this can be up to 30% if three items are donated.

Along with campus-based groups, they work with off-campus groups too. From working with The Ashland County Special Olympics Organization to The Candy Capers to Madison Local Schools, anyone can make a difference within the campus store.

“Right now we are in the middle of one for the 51st Combat Communication Squadron of the United States Air Force.” For every hat that is purchased, part of it will be given to the Air Force Squadron Brown added.

With these custom designs, organizations and groups can make their message more personal.  

“If there is an organization that needs help, we can”, Brown said.