On Tuesday, Feb. 9, the West Chester University Honors Student Association hosted their 5th Annual Date Auction in Sykes Ballrooms.
It was a night of men who were there to raise money, have fun and provide entertainment.
The people who attended might have been reminded of the lyrics to “It’s Raining Men” as they came to Sykes ready to bid on a guy.
However, more importantly, they knew they could contribute to the fundraising efforts.
All the proceeds raised went to benefit Aid to South Africa, which is an incredible organization that helps reduce hunger, provide comfort for AIDS victims and raise awareness.
The night was full of laughter and entertainment. Students were able to bid on male dates throughout the night, with the highest bidder winning a date from the man they bid on.
The Sykes ballroom was transformed into a lovely Valentine’s Day-themed wonderland with pink and red hearts everywhere.
There were festive snacks such as pink rice crispy treats, and there was a runway for the men to strut or, in some cases, dance down.
All attendees were given heart cards with numbers to hold up when bidding on someone.
After watching each guy walk down the runway we were told a little about them: their year, things they are involved in around campus, fun facts and where they will be taking their lucky bidding winner on a date.
The bidding started when the first amount was called, and suddenly everyone would see different colored hearts fly up in the air.
It was fun to watch who was trying to win, and there were some people asking friends to combine their money to win a date. In addition to bidding on men, you could put your name in for some fantastic raffles that were called throughout the night. If you were walking past the ballroom, you would hear great music and the sounds of many students cheering.
The crowd who participated had a blast, as did the men.
Junior Corey Beans, who was eligible to be bid on, spoke about his experience being part of the auction.
“The reason I decided to do the auction is because I was scared to,” said Beans. “Even though I was nervous, when my name was called, it felt great being the center of attention and knowing that I was helping a great cause. I am definitely going to participate again next year.”
The event was a great way to spend a Tuesday night with friends at school.
You could tell from looking around the room, seeing the expressions on students’ faces and hearing their sounds of laughter that everyone had such a fabulous evening.
Aileen Assumma is a second-year student majoring in English literature. She can be reached at AA823823@wcupa.edu.