By Michael Bernaschina, Staff Writer
During the week of Oct. 23 to Oct. 27, the members of the Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) began Think Pink week with Drink Pink on Monday.
The fundraiser, in which the members of ZTA served pink lemonade, gave out pink ribbons, and took donations, took place outside of the Degenstein Campus Center, and ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
According to the ZTA members running the fundraiser, the goal was to spread breast cancer awareness and education, which ZTA president Kelly Sweeney reiterated.
“Our philanthropy is breast cancer awareness,” she said, which ZTA does through its association with Bright Pink, the sole national non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women, the American Cancer Association, and the National Football League.
ZTA began their effort during the football game on Saturday, where they managed to raise a total of $160. By mid-week, they had raised $500.
“Between Homecoming and Drink Pink we earned $500, and we’re projecting another $1,500 from ticket sales for the spaghetti dinner,” Sweeney said.
“We’re projecting $2,000 by the time the dinner happens,” Sweeney added. “It’s looking like a pretty successful Think Pink week.”
ZTA continued Think Pink week with the “I Think Pink For…” chalkboard on the Degenstein Campus Center lawn on Tuesday.
Students were able to write down who they thought “pink” about. There was a Think Pink photo booth in lower level of the campus center and Mellon Lounge on Wednesday.
The spaghetti dinner took place on Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the practice football field next to the tennis courts.
Junior Evan Anderson said, “Despite the cold it was still worth going to [the spaghetti dinner] and show support for such a worthy cause.”
Tickets to the spaghetti dinner were sold all throughout the week, $6 if it was bought from a ZTA sister, and $8 if purchased at the door.
Senior Andrew Van Woert said: “Not only was the meal awesome but so was their cause.”
“As a fellow Greek their goal and drive for philanthropy embody what we all should strive to accomplish,” he continued.
Closing out Think Pink week on Friday is the “Think Pink, Know the Risk” event, where a guest speaker from the Thyra M. Humphries Center for Breast Health will be visiting and hosting a workshop at 5:30 p.m. in Faylor Hall.
“I’ve been very impressed with our Think Pink chair,” said Sweeney on Wednesday, “And I’m very excited to see how the rest of the week will go.”
Junior Ryan Carter felt touched after the week’s events. “I found it very inspiring that the members of ZTA put in all their effort this week to raise money for a problem that affects so many people.”
In the Spring, ZTA will be hosting another event, Big Man on Campus to promote awareness for breast cancer.
Details for this year’s will become available as the event approaches.