For the past couple of years, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has put on events to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This Wednesday, March 23, from 6-9 p.m. SAAC will be hosting an “Athlete’s Got Talent” event inside Hollinger Field House. SAAC has been successful in the past when raising money for charity. When they are not competing in their respective sport, West Chester student athletes have demonstrated active participation in events that will benefit their community.
The “Athlete’s Got Talent” event, which has evolved from an athlete auction, is just another way that West Chester athletes can give back to charity.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children ranging in age from two and a half to 18 who have life-threatening medical conditions.
In past years, when the event was an athlete auction, one or two athletes from each team would be auctioned off to the highest bidder. SAAC would then host a spaghetti dinner after the event in which the athlete and their bidder would sit together.
In an effort to improve the event, SAAC added a talent portion to the auction. However, this year, they decided to nix the auction altogether and make the event strictly an athlete talent show. Rather than raising money through the bidders, SAAC will raise money through admission to the event and raffles.
“It is $5 at the door and that includes entry, food and one free raffle ticket,” said Jillian Morgan, who is the social chair member of the SAAC executive board. “There will be a lot of food including Domino’s pizza, Herr’s chips and Pepsi products. Also, there will be prizes for the first, second and third place winners. There will also be ‘celebrity’ judges.”
Wednesday’s event will feature athletes from almost all 22 West Chester sports teams. Contestants will participate in different talents such as jumping rope, juggling, singing and dancing.
Lindsey Covert is going to be the emcee for the night and the DJ is James Thorpe. The event will also be filmed for the West Chester Public Access Channel.
In addition to the money that will be raised through admission, each team was asked to donate a gift basket to be raffled off throughout the night.
“We asked that every team would donate a basket so there would be a bunch of cool raffles,” Morgan said. “Also, we got donations in town as far as gift cards to raffle off as well.”
The event is open to anyone and has been extremely successful in the past. Come to Hollinger Field House on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. to support West Chester student athletes and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Amy Festa is a fourth-year student majoring in English with a minor in journalism. She can be reached at AF649219@wcupa.edu.