Between the Halloween care packages stuffed in their mailboxes and a popular student-run fundraiser, the “freshman fifteen” might creep up on Fairfield University students sooner than expected.
Leaders of Environmental Action at Fairfield University (LEAF) are selling candy grams Oct. 22 through Oct. 27 in the Barone Campus Center in order to raise money for their service trip to New Orleans this January.
For $2.00, students can send the candy of their choice with a handwritten note to the doors of their friends and significant others, the club said.
“This type of fundraiser for the New Orleans service trip is more fun than just asking for donations because people get to mess around with their friends and pretend to be secret admirers,” said Kara O’Neill ‘15 who is attending the trip this year.
This is one of the many fundraisers the students have organized to finance their trip. They are also asking for donations from family members and friends, selling custom Fairfield University t-shirts, and hosting an event for all Fairfield University students at Flipside Burger and Bar in downtown Fairfield.
Although it has almost been eight years since Hurricane Katrina destroyed most of New Orleans and took over 1,000 lives, there is still plenty of rebuilding that needs to be done.
The 32 students participating in the service trip will be working together with Rebuilding Together New Orleans, a nonprofit organization that helps construct sustainable homes for low-income homeowners.
The service trip is over winter break from Jan. 6-12. The students will spend four full days rebuilding homes and one day volunteering at an animal shelter.
“It was a really incredible experience and I learned so much about myself and the value of helping other people. I can’t wait to go again this year,” said Daniel Stoddard ‘15 who volunteered last year.
The students will also have the opportunity to meet with New Orleans residents and listen to their stories. “Hearing about how much they lost because of the hurricane is really heartbreaking. It really gives you a sense of how lucky you are and makes you appreciate what you have,” said Stoddard.
In the past, the candy grams have been very successful and contributed a lot of money towards the service trip. The volunteers have high hopes and expectations for this fundraiser and the future events they have planned.
“All of the donations we receive, big or small, are really helpful and are greatly appreciated,” said O’Neill. “If anyone is at all interested in our cause we really encourage students, faculty and staff to participate in our fundraisers and help us reach our goal.”
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