SSA students raise money for Movember through art, baked goods, and song
The end of November can be a great thing—December holidays get nearer, cities put up their lights, and people might seem a little cheerier—but, it also means the end of a month-long drive to raise funds to combat prostate cancer.
So, on Nov. 26, in a last push to drum-up funds for Movember, artists, singers, and members of the Science Students Association (SSA) met for an annual coffeehouse in the basement of the Marion building.
“The coffeehouse is a nice, cozy little gathering where people auditioned to perform in front of other students,” Andres Ackland-Snow, a first-year biomedical student, and a first-year representative for the SSA, explained. “All the proceeds we’re making are going to Movember.”
Around fifty students attended the event, and were privy to free hot drinks, the opportunity to pay for various artworks, a raffle, and baked goods—with an evening of songs as their backdrop.
“So, we actually have a VP-Philanthropy, and he’s running a Movember (campaign),” Ackland-Snow continued. “There’s usually one charity event and one non-charity event (run by the association each year) … and it just so happens that it (fell) within November (this year) for Movember.”
To encourage artists to contribute their works, the SSA hung posters around campus and noted that they would split the donations—so that half of the proceeds would go to the Movember fund, and the other half would go to artists.
“(Art) was just something that we thought went with the theme and would be nice for students who might not want to sing or perform in front of people,” Ackland-Snow said.
Photos: Iain Sellers.
For other students though, performing was one of the bigger draws to coming out to Monday night’s coffeehouse.
Faith Mumba, a first-year social science student, and performer at the event, told the Fulcrum that she had not known that it was a fundraiser for Movember prior to arriving, but asserted that she was happy to help raise money.
“Any good cause I’m very (happy) to support,” Mumba said, before getting ready to take to the make-shift stage and sing “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” by Meghan Trainor.
“I’ve always liked singing, so this is my way of getting involved with school and trying to share what I like doing and meet other people,” she said. “It’s nice to take a break from school, and homework, and all that, and be around other people—and, like what you do.”
Overall, organizers of the event dubbed the high-turnout a success, and raised $500 from the evening’s proceeds—with no mustache required.
If you’d like to donate to Movember Canada, you can do so on their website. To find out more about upcoming SSA events, check out their Facebook page.
