‘Up Til Dawn’ project preparing for letter writing party

The Up ‘Til Dawn letter writing party that will be held Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. is the annual fundraiser hosted by St. Jude Hospital.
“At this event, letters are mailed out to family and friends provided by the participants to solicit financial support said Rechanda West, assistant executive director of the project.
Although registration for the St. Jude project was held this past Wednesday, students are still encouraged to register and aid in obtaining this year’s goal of $10,000.
“The last chance to register is the night of the writing party. Students are asked to come early,” said West.
During registration, individuals came with a list that was composed of a team captain and five other team members totaling six members per team.
LaKenya Mixon, logistics chairperson said during registration, a $5.00 registration fee was collected from each member. This fee was to help recoup some of the expenses for letters, envelopes and postage.
Each participant was given forms to complete 50 names and addresses of close family and friends; those participating in the Up ‘Til Dawn project will return with those forms completed on the night of Nov. 14 and at the time, complete the process of labeling envelopes to be mailed out.
The mailout will consist of a “generic fundraising letter, an insert from Jasmine Smutherman, Miss Southern 2007-08, and a return envelope,” said James Turner, public relations chairperson.
There are 200 Up ‘Til Dawn chapters nationwide and Southern was the first historically black college to spearhead one said Mixon.
According to West, “Up ‘Til Dawn came into existence in the 2004-05 school year when former Miss Southern Enitra Jones had it implemented into the constitution for current Miss Southern’s to be the executive director in order to make sure the program stays alive on Southern’s campus.
“The first year $10,00 was raised; $8,000 the second year; $7,600 the third. For the fourth and current year,” West declared, “We want to come close or exceed the first year it started.”
West said to celebrate the total monies raised by the Southern for the year, each spring a party is thrown and everyone stays “up til dawn” that night. “Up ‘Til Dawn” was coined after the motto at St. Jude that states
“If cancer doesn’t sleep, neither should we. Fight the yarn. Stay up ’til dawn.”