Current Release: April 28th, 2009 | Vol. XXX Iss. 10

Photo Courtesy of Melissa Fowler

Are fundraisers in Batten becoming too much?

Vickie Matthews

vamatthews@vwc.edu

From bake sales, to Jail-a-thons, to raffles; the Batten Center is full of clubs and organizations trying to get the money from the students at VWC for their cause. People selling or asking for donations has become such a common occurrence in Batten, that students no longer know who to give their money to and which cause should be considered more important than the other.

For Senior, Ashley Morgan, it s about knowing why clubs and organizations are asking for money.

 I never fully understand why they re selling stuff because there are so many people selling so many different things, Morgan said.  Plus I m a poor college student and I don t always have change to spare.

Although some students feel that it s hard because of their money situation and because they don t know which charity to give the little money they have to, others, like freshman, Sydneigh White, feel it s a good thing.

 I think it s cool because it catches students attention since it s in the Batten Center, White said.  It s about supporting good causes.

Although students are feeling the pressure from all the different charity drives, some of the faculty, such as adjunct history teacher Robert Thompson don t seem to notice.

Thompson has attended the book sale fundraiser that Phi Alpha Theta puts on every year to raise money for attending conferences, trips, movie nights, and other society related gatherings.

 Well I always thought the place seemed rather dead, Thompson said.  Especially the area where the book sale takes place; but I m never in there during the lunch rush. On the weekends the place is a ghost town, which should never happen on a college campus.

Thompson feels like the space by the hub in Batten, where the book sale takes place, has not been used to its full potential.

 The book sale is always strong money wise because it uses the space effectively, Thompson said.

Along with spreading out in different places in Batten, Morgan has other suggestions for how organizations could more effectively raise money.

 Better advertising would help, Morgan said.  Or even spreading out in different places on campus instead of the same central location.