The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and TigerThon executives have partnered this year to host a series of fundraisers for the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.
The SAAC is a NCAA-mandated committee comprised of student athletes in order to provide insight into the student athlete experience. Trinity’s SAAC is also involved in the greater San Antonio community through service and outreach programs.
On the weekend of Feb. 2–3, members of SAAC and the TigerThon board raised $1,050 at Tiger basketball games for the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. This fundraiser was part of SAAC’s annual Change for the Better initiative.
The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio is a non-profit hospital that treats any and all patients that come in, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Because treatments can often be expensive, they rely heavily on fundraisers to help pay their yearly expenses.
Davis King, a senior football player on SAAC, helped with the planning and facilitation of the entire event. At the basketball games, there were two challenges in which fans could participate to try to win prizes. SAAC charged participants a minimum of one dollar, and for the entry fee, fans had the opportunity to win gift cards, t-shirts and more.
Students also set up a table at the entrance of Calgaard Gymnasium and asked fans for change as they walked in the door, as well as tried to raise awareness about the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.
Rebecca Gordon, a senior women’s basketball player on SAAC, noted SAAC’s effort into planning and putting on the event.
“Members of SAAC helped by not only pitching ideas, but each team tabled and attended at least one of the games and reached out to their respective parent bases,” Gordon said.
King credits the team behind TigerThon for all of their help and hard work towards the fundraiser.
“We had volunteers from TigerThon at each game assisting us in the fundraising efforts, and we could not have done it without them. They informed our SAAC volunteers, as well as the fans who attended the game, about what TigerThon is and more about the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio,” King said.
Sarosha Hemani, the director of TigerThon, is excited to be donating towards the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio because of its proximity to the Trinity community.
“When you register for this event or fundraise, all of your money benefits the community directly. You can directly see the difference you are making in the San Antonio community since this is for a local hospital,” Hemani said.
In the past, SAAC has raised money for other groups, such as the American Cancer Society and the Special Olympics. They also have an annual Sunshine Cottage Day, in which student-athletes volunteer at Sunshine Cottage, a school for deaf children.
The inaugural TigerThon, a four-hour dance marathon, will take place on Feb. 24 from 5–9 p.m. in Webster Gym. All proceeds will go straight to the hospital, and families from the hospital will be at the event to meet participants.
If you’re interested in participating in TigerThon, you can register by yourself or with a team on the TigerThon website. There is a $10 registration fee.
