WMU Home > About WMU > WMU News

WMU News

Campus students triple funds raised for charities

April 14, 2006

KALAMAZOO--As of April 10, Western Michigan University students living on campus had raised nearly three times the amount of money for local charities compared to on-campus student efforts for the entire previous school year.

Laura Darrah, WMU assistant director of Residence Life, reports that involvement by WMU's residence hall students in service activities brought in some $8,200 more compared to 2004-05.

"College students are generous people. As tight as expenses are and as hectic as their time is, they're willing to contribute with cash and volunteer hours," Darrah says. "Since August, they've raised $11,645 for charitable organizations, donated hundreds of pints of blood, contributed some 300 pounds of food to local food banks, and volunteered more than 500 hours at events to aid others."

A majority of the funds raised, $5,108, was garnered this past week during WMU's Relay for Life fund-raising walk for the American Cancer Society.

Another $4,239 went to hurricane relief and the third highest amount, $893, was donated to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The remaining funds assisted Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Boys and Girls Club, the Kidney Foundation and St. Judes Children's Hospital.

For more information, contact Laura Darrah at laura.darrah@wmich.edu or (269) 387-4463.

Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu

WMU News
Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
(269) 387-8400
www.wmich.edu/wmu/news