Monmouth Youth Activists and the members of Blue Hawk Records are hosting the largest charity event ever held at Monmouth University called Battle of the Charities.
Battle of The Charities will be held on Mar. 7 at 7:00 p.m. in Pollak Theatre. This event is open to all members of the Monmouth University community for a modest donation fee of $5.
Every dollar donated will be equally distributed amongst the ten non-profit organizations participating in this charity event. Charities include Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics, Cloudhead, Product Red, Lunch Break, Rock n Recovery, American Heart Association, Bosnia International Service Trip, and The Kortney Rose Foundation.
The event will consist of a variety of ten different talented acts competing to raise the most funds on behalf of one each of the ten charities. The total of ticket sales will be equally divided amongst the participating charities.
Ticket sales aren’t the only way members are raising funds for this event either. The Youth Activist Group is also selling advertisement space on their program to cover event costs.
The title, Battle of the Charities, was inspired by the competitive nature of ‘battle of the bands’.
All performers are encouraging those who follow and support them to come to event and donate directly to the cause the groups represent in order to help them win. The performers who raise the highest total will be considered the winner of the event.
Michael Grant Junior Music Industry student and participant in the event said, “We couldn’t be more excited to be participating in Battle of the Charities because it’s a great cause that will pump goodwill into the community. It’s also a chance to have a great time and enjoy local talent.”
Though a majority of performances will be musicians, there will be few unique performances. Fine arts student Jeffery Chernesky (aka Flow Fiend) will be performing hoop dance and acrobatics.
Flow Fiend is performing on behalf of an organization called Cloudhead a non-profit that provides technology to at risk communities, local and abroad, to provide them an opportunity at artistic expression.
Another unique performance will come from Brad Comer, a health and physical education student who will be performing double-dutch on behalf of The Special Olympics with the assistance of a coach and some other friends.
This event will showcase and support one of Monmouth Universities’ own faculty member’s organizations, the Kortney Rose Foundation.
Secretary of the political science and sociology department, Kristen Gillette founded this organization to raise funds and awareness in order to ‘keep tumors off of kid’s minds’.
Gillette said, “The Kortney Rose Foundation (KRF) is grateful to the Youth Activist Club for including us in their upcoming “Battle of the Charities” event. This club is a wonderful addition to the Monmouth University campus and is full of students who are engaged and ready to make a difference.”
Gillette has been a friend to the Youth Activists from the moment they formed. Gillette has a noble story after founding this organization after her own daughter passed away from a brain tumor.
The Youth Activists have actively recruited performers from off campus as well including DJ MellowTonein featured on Brookdale Community College’s Student Radio, and Jersey rock band, The Double Negatives.
Dimitri Almeyda, the bassist and representative for The Double Negatives said “we are more than happy to play around as much as we can, especially for a good cause”.
The entire planning process has been uplifiting for the members, performers, the charities they support, Blue Hawk Records members, and everyone who has supported the cause thus far.
Carly Miller, junior Homeland Security student said, I think it’s important that people come out to this event to support not only our fellow classmates, but also the charities being represented. Its a great opportunity to do a little thing with a great impact. “
It is truly inspiring to see a group of talented and caring individuals get together on behalf of so many causes at once ambitiously trying to connect Monmouth’s community and the students for the benefit of everyone involved.
IMAGE TAKEN from Monmouth Youth Activists’ Facebook
