Student Government has a daunting task ahead.
SG has set a goal to raise $500,000 for University students affected by Hurricane Katrina, but its major fundraiser adds to the fund in just $2 increments.
The spearhead of SG’s fundraising effort is the gold “Mission: Possible” T-shirts, which go on sale today for $14.99 both on campus and in stores licensed to sell University products.
The fund will receive $2 from every T-shirt sold, with the rest going to pay for licensing, producing and selling the shirts.
The University created the Hurricane Katrina Student Relief Fund to offer financial assistance to the more than 12,000 University students who were directly affected by the storm.
SG President Michelle Gieg acknowledged the challenge of meeting their goal.
“It may seem like a large amount,” Gieg said. “But unless we can raise $500,000, we cannot do much for these students.”
Even if SG achieves its goal, that amount divided equally among the 12,000 students would give each person approximately $41.
As of press time, the fund had raised about $30,000 by the combined efforts of SG and Tigers after 10, a student organization that runs Late Night LSU.
SG will also be collecting donations at every gate in Tiger Stadium for Saturday’s game against the Tennessee Volunteers and at six locations on campus during and after the game.
“Students are putting so much effort into this because we are helping our own,” Gieg said.
“We’ll take whatever we can get,” Gieg said. “We’re just pleased we have a shirt to collect proceeds from on such short notice.”
Stacy Pepitone, coordinator for Contracted Auxiliary Services, said she thinks $2 a shirt will go a long way in the fundraising effort.
“While you could make the case that $2 isn’t very much, we will be able to sell a lot more of them off campus because they are an officially licensed LSU product,” she said. “If they weren’t licensed they could only be sold as a student organization shirt one at a time on campus, and that’s a slow way to make money. This way we can sell a lot more at retail stores inside and even out of state.”
Gieg said she has talked to several large corporations in hopes that they will be able to make substantial donations to the fund or match the amount in the fund.
“We’re still in the process of that, though,” she said.
Scott Madere, public relations director for the LSU Foundation, said the foundation is also looking for alternate ways to raise money for the Student Relief Fund.
“We routinely speak with corporations and alumni and talk to them about matching money donated to the University,” Madere said. “Instead of campaigning to the corporations for the fund, we are maintaining the relationship we already have with them and letting them know that the fund is an option for them to donate to.”
Madere said the fund has been an “attractive option” for donors because people want to see their donations make a direct impact on the University’s campus.
“This is a way for them to give back to the University and see exactly where their money is going,” he said.
Mary Parker, director of Student Aid and Scholarships, said the Student Relief Fund will disperse money to students who apply based on the amount in the fund and by looking at what resources a particular student has received or will receive in the future.
“The amount that will be given to applicants is on a case by case basis,” Parker said.
Contact Jeff Jeffrey at [email protected]