By Emily GlazerThe Daily Northwestern
Twenty-three Northwestern students raised $1,047.72 Tuesday night for “Trick-or-Treat For Oprah,” a charity event to gather money for a Evanston family in need.
The students more than doubled the $1,000 that Communication senior Lauren Roach received through Oprah Winfrey’s “Pay It Forward” Challenge.
“I thought we only made $500 and I was kind of sad, but we doubled the money. I counted every single penny,” Roach said.
Although Roach said she hoped 200 students would come to trick or treat – her Facebook.com group for the event had over 100 students – she was still pleased with the enthusiastic students who did volunteer.
“I was hoping for more people, but the people who came were very gung-ho and into it,” she said.
After Roach received the charity money on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” she decided $1,000 was not enough to help those in need. She formed a Halloween-themed fundraiser for which student volunteers “trick-or-traded” and attempted to trade $1 for $2 or more.
The students, ranging from freshmen to a graduate student to even an alumnus, “trick-or-traded” primarily around Evanston. Some groups traveled to Winnetka, Glencoe and Wilmette, Roach said.
Other students visited some of NU’s dormitories, including Allison Hall and Communications Residential College.
“I pass some of these houses in Evanston, and it’s nice when you see the people and realize they’re human and they have a heart and they’re giving back,” said Medill sophomore Quinton Sprull, who joined in on the trick-or-trading. “They’re not just hiding behind a beautiful facade- these people understood what we’re doing and supported our cause.”
Although students faced some inevitable rejection while fundraising, there were families who were very positive about giving, said Jill Lerner, a Weinberg freshman.
“At one of the houses we went to in Evanston, a lady told us that she’d already given quite a bit of money to another group of students involved in the same project. She then proceeded to give each of us (four students) another 20 dollars,” Lerner said.
At another house, while a mother left to go get money to donate, her son beat her back to the door carrying a quarter in hand. The volunteers had assumed the child had gone off to play, Roach said.
Roach said she may split her donation between two families. She has already chosen one.
“They don’t even have sheets on their beds,” she said.
Since part of Winfrey’s “Pay It Forward” challenge includes videotaping the experience the audience members have with their $1,000, Roach must be able to videotape the families she chooses to give the money to.
Roach does not have to hand in her tape to “The Oprah Winfrey Show” until Monday, Nov. 6. She urged anyone who is interested in donating to keep giving.
“I know people don’t have a whole evening to give, but even if they have a few dollars, that’s great,” she said.
Emily Glazer can be reached at [email protected].
