For the fourth year in a row, Ashland University is promoting cancer awareness by working with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Finding cures and saving children is what St. Jude is all about, and thanks to the executive board here on campus, many donations have been made to benefit the research at St. Jude’s hospital.

During awareness week, the board did something different each day.

They painted the fish bowl and decorated the sidewalks with chalk to promote events taking place. One of the many things done was the handing out of army men in Convo, which were purchased through the St. Jude organization. The board chose the “army” theme because the slogan for St. Jude’s nationwide is “Unite to Fight”. The executive board took interesting facts from St. Jude’s hospital and attached them to the army men and passed them out to inspire people to donate for the cause.

Three purple army men were hidden around campus. The students who found these army men were given a ticket to be entered in the raffle at the St. Jude’s Up ‘til Dawn letter writing party.

The letter writing party will be held Nov. 9 this year and students are asked to attend. All participants are asked to do is collect the addresses of family and friends who they think can and will help out. The Ashland exec board then sends out letters explaining the mission of St. Jude’s and asking for a donation on the behalf of AU. They are stamped and sent out by volunteers.

Kendal Johnson, president of the exec board, says that letter writing party is AU’s main fundraiser for St. Jude’s and over 400 students come out to support the cause.

“I am involved with the St. Jude Up ’til Dawn program here on campus because I love what the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital values and their dedication to the patients,” Johnson said.

According to Johnson, the St. Jude group here at AU has raised over $110,000 over the past three and half years for the hospital’s child patients.

The team’s chair, Ashton Parsons, explained why St. Jude’s is so important to her.

“I do St. Jude because it makes me feel good to have done something else to help those less fortunate than myself,” Parsons said. “It makes me appreciate daily what I have to be thankful for.”

The exec board raised $175 during the cover seal event, in which people threw money on university seal located in the Student Center. They also sold green army t-shirts printed with the words “AU loves St. Jude” for $8 in order to promote St. Jude’s. Anyone can help and donate.

“I try to put myself in the shoes of the parents whose children are admitted into St. Jude because I would want someone to be there for me, or help my child in the hospital,” Parsons said. “It’s a simple little thing that people can do that makes a huge difference.”

If you have any questions or want to donate, please email Johnson at [email protected].