Spring Break
Husky Sport hosts walk-a-thon former UConn athlete's charity
Meghan Kruger
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: News
Husky Sport will be hosting its second annual spring event this Friday in Hartford to support former student-athlete and professional basketball player Emeka Okafor's Safe Blood for Africa - One Million Lives Initiative.
The initiative, for which Okafor is a spokesman, works to raise money to provide a safe and adequate blood supply throughout Sub-Saharan Africa in order to prevent the spread of HIV through blood transfusions, according to it's Web site.
Okafor donated a substantial gift to Husky Sport in the fall of 2007, and the fundraiser, which includes a walk-a-thon from Clark Elementary School to Keney Park in Hartford, is Husky Sport's way of thanking Okafor for his generosity. "This was something we could do in return," said Jennifer Bruening, director of the Husky Sport program.
Last year, Husky Sport raised $10,000 for the Safe Blood for Africa program by hosting a bike-a-thon.
The Husky Sport program pairs UConn students with children living in Hartford's North End and works to promote healthy life styles, including nutrition and physical activity, as well as valuable life skills. UConn students, faculty and staff mentor the Hartford students, visiting them five days a week and participating in different activities including sports, arts and crafts and tutoring. The Hartford students are also given the opportunity to visit their mentors here at the UConn campus.
The Hartford students are not only participating in the walk-a-thon, but are also working to increase their donations through a "Read and Raise" effort, through which they pledged to read 10,000 books. For every book read, $1 dollar will be donated to their cause. The Husky Sport program pledged to raise $10,000 as well, making the final goal $20,000.
"The whole goal behind the 'Read and Raise' effort is not only to encourage the young students of Hartford to read, but to also allow them to come to understand what kids their age in Africa are going through and to get them to help out," said DeAnna D'Amelio, an 8th-semester communication sciences and psychology double major and a member of Husky Sport.
Husky Sport received donations through corporate sponsors as well as local business and individual donations. "The best way for people to help out right now is to text donations," Bruening said. By texting HIV to 90999, a one-time $5 donation will go directly to your phone bill. Donations will continue to be accepted after the event.
"This has been a great experience," said Mo Petrus, a 4th-semester psychology major and one of the football players involved in Husky Sport. "The best part is just being with kids."
For more information regarding Husky Sport and Okafor's Safe Blood for Africa - One Million Lives Initiative and how to contribute to the event, visit www.huskysport.uconn.edu.
The initiative, for which Okafor is a spokesman, works to raise money to provide a safe and adequate blood supply throughout Sub-Saharan Africa in order to prevent the spread of HIV through blood transfusions, according to it's Web site.
Okafor donated a substantial gift to Husky Sport in the fall of 2007, and the fundraiser, which includes a walk-a-thon from Clark Elementary School to Keney Park in Hartford, is Husky Sport's way of thanking Okafor for his generosity. "This was something we could do in return," said Jennifer Bruening, director of the Husky Sport program.
Last year, Husky Sport raised $10,000 for the Safe Blood for Africa program by hosting a bike-a-thon.
The Husky Sport program pairs UConn students with children living in Hartford's North End and works to promote healthy life styles, including nutrition and physical activity, as well as valuable life skills. UConn students, faculty and staff mentor the Hartford students, visiting them five days a week and participating in different activities including sports, arts and crafts and tutoring. The Hartford students are also given the opportunity to visit their mentors here at the UConn campus.
The Hartford students are not only participating in the walk-a-thon, but are also working to increase their donations through a "Read and Raise" effort, through which they pledged to read 10,000 books. For every book read, $1 dollar will be donated to their cause. The Husky Sport program pledged to raise $10,000 as well, making the final goal $20,000.
"The whole goal behind the 'Read and Raise' effort is not only to encourage the young students of Hartford to read, but to also allow them to come to understand what kids their age in Africa are going through and to get them to help out," said DeAnna D'Amelio, an 8th-semester communication sciences and psychology double major and a member of Husky Sport.
Husky Sport received donations through corporate sponsors as well as local business and individual donations. "The best way for people to help out right now is to text donations," Bruening said. By texting HIV to 90999, a one-time $5 donation will go directly to your phone bill. Donations will continue to be accepted after the event.
"This has been a great experience," said Mo Petrus, a 4th-semester psychology major and one of the football players involved in Husky Sport. "The best part is just being with kids."
For more information regarding Husky Sport and Okafor's Safe Blood for Africa - One Million Lives Initiative and how to contribute to the event, visit www.huskysport.uconn.edu.
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