CONWAY, Ark. (April 15, 2009) – Campus Kitty celebrated its 60th anniversary in style, raising $60,492 for charity last week. It was an astronomical achievement for the Hendrix organization, which sponsors a week of fundraising events each spring. Last year’s total, which had itself been a record-breaker for the club, was $42,025.
The club commemorated its anniversary with a 1960s theme: “Peace, Love, and Kitty”. Many of the week’s events, such as movie showings and trivia nights, harked back to the ‘60s.
This year Campus Kitty week overlapped with Alumni weekend, creating a powerful synergy. The Campus Kitty Celebration, sponsored by the Alumni Office, brought dozens of former Campus Kitty members back to campus. Current committee members also attended the event and were able to meet John Workman, the former student body president who oversaw the creation of Campus Kitty.
The timing also brought a new audience to Campus Kitty events. Alex Graddy-Reed, the Campus Kitty chair, attributed much of this year’s success to alumni attendance. She also credited local businesses for their generous donations, and Conway residents for their help with the canned food drive.
Graddy-Reed said the most successful events, in terms of dollars raised, were the Miss Hendrix mock beauty pageant, the Martin/Veasy Auction, and the Homeless Vigil canned food drive. More than a dozen smaller events, including a poetry slam and a carnival for alumni and their children, also contributed to the record-breaking total.
The proceeds from the week will be shared among 26 local charities, each of which created a wish list of the items they most need. Rather than making a flat donation to the charities, Campus Kitty buys items from the lists. Some of this year’s big-ticket items include a golf cart for Camp Aldersgate, to transport physically disabled patients throughout the camp; a portable labyrinth for Beacon Community Project; and dental equipment for the Conway Interfaith Clinic.
The full list of charities served includes: Arkansas Rice Depot; Beacon Community Project; Bethlehem House; Big Brothers, Big Sisters; Boys & Girls Club; CASA; Camp Aldersgate; Children’s Hospital; Community Service, Inc.; Conway Cradle Care; Conway Interfaith; Conway Senior Citizens; Creative Living Services; Daily Bread; Faulkner County Day School; Faulkner County Literacy Council; Florence Crittenton Family Ministries; HAVEN House; Humane Society of Faulkner County; Mile Stones; Miracle League; Pine Street; Ronald McDonald House; Soul Food Café; Stewpot Soup Kitchen and Clothing Closet; and Women’s Shelter of Central Arkansas.
-30-