The third annual Up ‘til Dawn event begins this week and will continue for the next two months.
The preparation this week leads up to the grand finale on Friday, Nov. 22, which is an overnight event that lasts to the early morning hours the next day.
Up ‘til Dawn is a student organization that helps fundraise for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Campuses nationwide host this event in efforts to raise money for the children at St. Jude.
“This year everything will completely different,” said Katie Jarvis, the executive director of Up ‘til Dawn at UTM. “It’s not just the letter-writing event anymore.”
This year involves more team-based involvement. Each team must consist of six members. The team captain must register on www.stjude.org/utd with the team name, and invite the rest of the team members to join.
Each team member must raise at least $100, with a total of $600 per team, to be invited to the grand finale in November. Potential team members do not need to let that number be daunting.
The Up ‘til Dawn Executive Board has different events lined up throughout the semester to help teams reach that overall fundraising goal.
There will be daily events during the two months prior to the grand finale event. The first week will be a “bucket week” from Sept. 9-12.
One of the first events also includes a competition for the “best smile” and “best eyes,” which are unisex categories, “best arms” (for guys) and “best legs” (for ladies).
Any team wishing to participate should enter a picture of a smile, eyes, arms or legs that they believe is the “best” on the UTM campus. The images will be displayed on a bucket throughout the week from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. inside the Boling University Center. The first three entries for each category will be used.
At the end of the week, the bucket with the most money in it for each category will be announced the winner. The winning teams receive all of the money collected to be put toward their team goal.
Interested teams are encouraged to contact Jessica Campbell, the side events chair, for more information on “bucket week.” Her email is jeslcamp@ut.utm.edu.
During the week of Sept. 16-20, Up ‘til Dawn executive board members will be in the UC with computers available for students to register.
The week of Sept. 23-26 will be Awareness Week. The National Program Marketing team for St. Jude will be in Martin that week observing the events.
“They have only decided to visit schools that are top grossing and highest potential schools, and that is UT Martin,” said UTM Up ‘til Dawn St. Jude representative, Mykila Cobb.
To kick off Awareness Week on Sept. 23, there will be a photo booth in the UC where students can take pictures with personalized captions. The pictures will be posted on the UTM Up ‘til Dawn Facebook page.
Sept. 24 will be the letter-writing event in the UC ballroom from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Teams are encouraged to come write letters to ask for donations as a way to help each team member reach his or her goal.
Music will be played and prizes will be given away throughout the letter-writing event.
Throughout Awareness Week, there will be a “shave-off” competition.
Three to five men who are willing to shave their heads for the kids at St. Jude will be entered into the competition. Each will have their picture on a bucket in the UC Monday, Sept. 23 through Wednesday, Sept. 25.
On Thursday, Sept. 26 at 12:30 p.m. in Watkins Auditorium, the “lucky” guy with the most money in his bucket will get his head shaved. This is similar with the “bucket week,” since all of the money raised will go toward the respective team.
Thurs., Sept. 26 is the team sign-up deadline. Teams who haven’t been able to sign up by this date will not be able to participate in the grand finale.
The October events are still being planned, and will be announced at a later date.
Everything in the next two months will be leading up to the grand finale. On the night of the grand finale, there will be events and games all night in order to help everyone stay awake through the night.
There will be prizes given throughout the night. Each team member also will receive a free t-shirt upon arriving at the grand finale.
“It’s all for the kids at St. Jude,” said Jarvis. “We’re doing this so they don’t ever have to get that hospital bill. It’s so the families don’t have to worry about it.”
For more information, like the UT Martin Up Til Dawn Facebook page, follow them on Twitter or Instagram @UTMartinUTD, or contact the UT Martin Up ‘til Dawn Recruitment Chair, Joey Moore, at josamoor@ut.utm.edu.
“Come out, get pumped, and let’s stay up for good,” said Jarvis. “It’s gonna be rockin’!”
