Students at The University of Memphis are preparing to stay up all night, and they won’t be studying.
The students are making plans for the fourth annual Up ‘til Dawn event.
Throughout the 24-hour event, participants dance or are involved in other activities that keep them on their feet and “Up ‘til Dawn.” The overnight philanthropic event is the finale to a yearlong fundraising effort to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Up ‘til Dawn will host its annual Aramark Fundraising Dinner and Silent Auction Thurs., January 31.
The purpose of the dinner is to bring together students, administrators, parents and the Memphis community for a night of fun and enjoyment.
“It is an honor and a privilege to help the children at St. Jude,” said Emily Olson, Up ‘til Dawn Public Relations Chair. “We have been preparing for the fundraising dinner for months.”
The dinner is open to the public and will feature a silent auction, a guest speaker, and special entertainment performed by The University of Memphis Brass Quintet.
The dinner will be held in the University Center Faulkner Lounge from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The cost for the dinner is $5 for students and $8 for the public. All proceeds from the dinner will go to St. Jude.
“Last year, the students at The University of Memphis raised $60,000,” said Nikia Johnson, regional representative for St. Jude and alumna of The University of Memphis. “That helped the children at St. Jude out a lot.
“The daily operating costs for St. Jude is $606,000,” said Johnson. “Every little bit helps.”
Up ‘til Dawn is a national fundraising program held on more than 80 campuses across the country.
The University of Memphis was the first school to start this program in 1998.
Thousands of students participate in this yearlong fundraiser to help save the lives of children at St. Jude. The event is for students who have raised money for St. Jude throughout the year.
This year, the event at The University of Memphis will be held March 16 and 17.
“I have been a part of Up ‘til Dawn since its inception, and I am really excited about the event,” Olson said.
St. Jude was founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas. The hospital is an internationally recognized biomedical research center dedicated to finding cures for catastrophic childhood diseases. St. Jude patients are treated regardless of their ability to pay.
The hospital’s work is supported through funds raised by the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC). ALSAC covers all costs for families who have no insurance.
