Students filling their plates every night at Allison dining hall might find it difficult to imagine the room as anything but a place to eat.

However, in spring 1994 about 200 students held the first-ever Suitcase Party on the spot, raising $3,000 for the Evanston Battered Women’s Shelter.

But as preparation begins for the 10th Suitcase Party, scheduled for April 10, organizers remain proud of the philanthropy’s attendance and profits, which over the decade have grown more than tenfold.

“For them, it was a phenomenal success, and it’s grown so much,” said Elizabeth Glasgow, Suitcase Party co-chairwoman. “We get e-mails every so often from alumni saying: ‘I can’t believe you’re doing that! It’s so cool!'”

The number of students attending Suitcase Party increased to almost 2,000 in 2002, when the group donated more than $31,000 to Children’s Place Association, an organization assisting children with HIV and AIDS.

This year’s beneficiary is LaRabida Children’s Hospital, a Chicago organization that provides care for children who have chronic illnesses and developmental disabilities, and victims of child abuse.

Despite changing beneficiaries, Glasgow said Suitcase Party’s purpose to benefit a local charity through community service and financial support remains the same.

The premise behind Suitcase Party, now held in Patten Gym, is to raffle off vacations to attendees in order to raise money for the year’s beneficiary. Those who won trips to Orlando used to depart the evening of the party, which forced party-goers to pack their suitcases in case they win and thus giving the party a reason for its name.

Student involvement in the organization has grown to include nine committees and 23 executive board members, including Glasgow and the other co-chairwoman, Weinberg senior Dianna Di Iorio.

Suitcase Party, like NU’s other large student-run philanthropy Dance Marathon, selects one charity each year and donates its proceeds. But unlike DM, Suitcase Party always has had a local focus.

Because beneficiaries are based nearby, Suitcase Party participants have the opportunity to volunteer at the site in addition to raising money.

“You run into challenges every year, and there is only so much time everyone can give,” said Kipp Davis, Suitcase Party’s public relations co-chairman. “But this year it looks like we’ll do even more community service.”

Focusing on organizations in the Chicago area might influence Northwestern students to become involved with the beneficiary later in life, Glasgow said.

“We’re in the middle between fund raising and volunteer groups that only do community service,” said Glasgow, a Weinberg senior. “(The beneficiaries) do need financial help, so obviously our fund-raising efforts are not going to waste. But they also need volunteers.”

The philanthropy kicked off its 10th year this weekend with the SP-eedy 5K Run/Walk. The Saturday morning race around the Lakefill drew 50 runners. Despite a mediocre turnout, Di Iorio said the event was successful in promoting both the philanthropy and its beneficiary.

But throughout its development Suitcase Party has grown in some way every year.

“Last year we didn’t have as much corporate support, but we had strength in numbers,” said Davis, a Weinberg senior. “We definitely got more people to come than ever before.”

In the past 10 years, Suitcase Party’s beneficiaries have included battered women’s shelters, literacy programs and organizations for children with chronic illnesses.

Executive board members select the beneficiary each year after receiving applications from local charities. This year, 35 organizations in Evanston and Chicago applied.

“We’re more well-known now than we were three years ago,” Glasgow said. “We’ve really honed our skills in the community. The Evanston community has a wealth of resources, and they’re definitely willing to help.”

Despite the organization’s growth, Suitcase Party leaders also said they want to attract even more students to the actual event.

“We want to make sure that the party is something students want to attend and not just win prizes,” Glasgow said. “I’d love to stop a person on the street, ask him what he was doing (that evening), and him to say, ‘Going to Suitcase Party.'”

As the last nine parties have shown, the group is getting a little closer to that goal each time.

“Every year, as the organization goes on, we reach a new group of people,” said Burgess Scott, public relations co-chairwoman. “Every committee grows a little every year, and every year, the party grows.”