We’ve all seen them: those miserable, shivering Northwestern students out canning for Dance Marathon in Evanston’s sub-zero cold.
Weinberg juniors Tracy Chou and Alex Gast said they knew there must be a better way.
The two launched “Lila’s Bakeshop,” their own traveling bakery, as a way to raise change indoors. For three weeks, Chou and Gast have been going to classes and the library with boxes of cupcakes and cookies in tow. The students sell a few dozen cupcakes and cookies every day and have already raised more than $400.
“As we get closer to DM, people are getting more excited and more creative,” said DM’s Co-Executive Chair Phillip Reich, a Weinberg senior.
This year’s proceeds will go primarily to Project Kindle, an organization dedicated to helping families and children affected by HIV/AIDS. Each DM couple is required to raise at least $800 before the dancing begins March 6.
Gast attempted the same fundraising idea last year but said it was too difficult without her own kitchen – and an electric mixer.
“Electric mixers are wonderful,” she said.
This year, Gast and Chou operate out of their apartments. Each student spends about an hour a day baking.
Even with electric mixers, balancing school and business can be tough, Chou said.
“I basically just don’t sleep,” she said. “I usually bake the cupcakes around 2 in the morning, so they’re fresh the next day. One time, I had two days when I was just swamped with work, and people asked me, ‘Where are the cupcakes?'”
The bakers have recently expanded their business. On Valentine’s Day, they will be delivering pre-ordered, individually wrapped cupcakes and cookies to sororities and fraternities.
Greek life students are also turning to food sales as a way to attract DM donations. Alpha Phi and Kappa Delta recently sold puppy chow outside of Ryan Family Auditorium and sold out by 1:00 p.m. They will sell again Feb. 16th. Kappa Kappa Gamma will also hold a pasta fundraiser Monday.
Other student organizations are looking for other ways to raise the dough.
Reformed University Fellowship raised about $200 by hosting a pancake breakfast on Sunday, Feb. 8.
“We were thinking of things to do after church on Sunday, ” said senior Weinberg student Nick Cheadle. “And we thought, ‘Everybody likes pancakes.’ And, even if you don’t go to church, you can still wake up and get some pancakes.”
Weinberg senior Jordan Simkovic and his dance partner, Emily Vaughan, are raising money using the Web site BeExtraordinary.org. The recently launched social network allows people to post a fundraising goal and pledge to complete a “challenge” once the goal is met.
Simkovic’s “challenge” is to distribute 500 small percussion instruments and other noisemakers to the dancers during DM. Every donated dollar buys one instrument.
“I love making music, and I thought this was a simple way to give back to the dancers,” he said.
Simkovic’s goal is to raise money for Project Kindle and to give dancers a little boost of energy as their spirits sag during the 30-hour marathon event.
“I kind of look at it as a double cause,” he said.
