YSU students raise thousands at Guinathon to help kids
YSU student organizations, including sororities and fraternities, came up with new ways to raise money to help kids at Akron Children's Hospital Mahoning Valley.
They took part in a Penguin-a-thon or Guinathon without traditional events in person. Almost everything over the entire year was virtual.
Usually, in a normal year, we have an eight-hour-long dance marathon event, but this year we decided on a safer approach," said Morgan Brandt, External Director for Guinathon.
They've hosted first bingos virtually; they've hosted everything this week, including their kick-off through zoom. It's been fantastic," added Kelsey Moreton, the Development Coordinator for Akron Children's Hospital Mahoning Valley.
Instead of a marathon of dancing, there was a performance by The Morale Team Dancers.
In 2017 the first year of the event, students raised $18,000. Over the years, the event has grown, with the student organizations raising $60,000 last year. The work they did this year was evident when the total was revealed. Students representing organizations held up numbers. The total Saturday was $55,764.49.
President of the University Jim Tressel led a beeping of horns and ringing of bells for each of the five years YSU students have dedicated time to helping kids.
Tressel announced his wife, Ellen, who is on the Akron Children's Foundation Board, is pledging $5,555 since this is year five of the fundraising Guinathon.
Tressel said, "So on behalf of Ellen and the board of the foundation, for our family, for our kids, for our students, congratulations for your hard work! We are proud to make that pledge. We are excited about what is happening here."
Tresses added, "We couldn't be more proud of our students. We couldn't be more proud of all the work that is being done; God bless all of you, God bless the families. YSU and our students are here for the kids."
All of the money raised from student activities and corporate donations will stay local and help Akron Children's Hospital Mahoning Valley keep its commitment that no child will be turned away due to inability to pay.
YSU students grateful they can go home, recognize not all children can. In prior years the students from various organizations held hands in a circle of hope. A student pointed out there are still many children in the hospitals that have their wrist bands on, and we'll be spending more time there, which reminds us to continue fighting for those kids.
