By: JORDAN RAE LUCAS
Columnist
@JordanRae017
Last week, in honor of Valentine’s Day, the Student Philanthropy Council hosted a cookie-decorating bar. For two dollars, students could decorate their choice of a chocolate chip cookie or a heart-shaped sugar cookie with a variety of sprinkles and candies. These cookies made for a delicious afternoon snack or a thoughtful, albeit last minute, Valentine’s Day gift.
The Council is new this year. Member Shannon Porowski described it as, “An initiative to support other students on campus.”
“All the profits go to help students and their families,” she said.
This cookie bar was part of a yearlong fundraiser by the Student Philanthropy Council to help provide dental care through the Dental Clinic located in the Education & Arts Building. This serves dual purposes. First and foremost, the Council seeks to help students based on financial need. This also helps the Dental Education program in the College of Health Sciences, as the student hygienists need patients.
There is a certain irony in selling sugar cookies for dental hygiene. According to MiChelle Redding, this is not lost on the members of the Council.
All joking aside, with four hours left in their two-day bake sale, the council had raised $163. Their goal for this event was $200.
“Our goal is $4000 for the school year,” said Porowski.
After some deliberation, Aaron Wilson said, “We’re about halfway there.”
While the most recent fundraiser made a sizable stride toward the goal, the bulk of the funds are to be raised by the individual members of the council.
“Each student raises $200 individually,” said Porowski.
The Council is made up of ten members from the Student Government Association and the Student Alumni Association. The donations collected by the individual members will make up half of the overall funds needed to reach their goal.
“[Ordinarily] they charge $25 for teeth cleaning and x-rays,” said Wilson.
This means that, if the Council reaches their goal, they will be able to provide dental care to 160 students.
The Student Philanthropy Council will be lending a hand at the Dental Clinic on Wednesday, April 15 for Access to Care Day. On this day, the Dental Clinic is open to the public and offers free dental cleanings.
