Thunk is generally known as a music group, but this spring, members of the a cappella outfit will be donning rollerblades, honey and feathers on Sheridan Road to fulfill their end of the deal posted on BeExtraordinary.org. The site allows individuals and groups to propose a challenge they promise to complete in exchange for money for various charitable causes. Thunk’s goal is to raise $3,000 for its cause, Cape Town Project.

BeExtraordinary.org grew out of a proposal developed by Northwestern students Matt CynaMonday, Devin Balkind, Micah Friedland and Jackson Froliklong for the 2007 InNUvation Kellogg Business Plan competition. It received third place overall and won the best socially conscious and undergraduate business concept awards.

“The site provides a nice balance between zany and crazy and more serious,” SESP senior Froliklong said.

A group of students from Hillel hoping to raise money to go to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for Alternative Student Breaks, as well as a trio of Chi Psi fraternity members hoping to raise funds for Greek Build, are also using the site. The group from Hillel will post pictures and videos of the work they do during ASB, while the Chi Psi members have pledged to jump into Lake Michigan if they receive their goal of $300.

“For us, this site was a really simple way to raise money for Greek Build and also do some philanthropy for the frat,” said Brian Gailey, a Medill sophomore in Lodge.

Jenn Ginsberg, a Weinberg senior participating in the ASB challenge for Buenos Aires, said she likes how the site allows her to connect with people “outside of the NU bubble.”

“Students only have so much money to spend,” Ginsberg said. “What we like about this link is that we can e-mail it to family or friends who aren’t here.”

The Hillel group hopes to raise $10,000 and has raised over $1,000 so far.

And if they don’t reach their goal?

“If we don’t make our goal, we get to keep the fundraising,” Ginsberg said. “We would notify the donors since we plan to send thank you cards with proofs from the trip.”

Because the challenge has been online for only a week, Ginsberg said she is optimistic that they will reach their goal before Spring Break.

“This is like ordering something from Amazon,” she said. “You just put in your credit card number, get an order confirmation and you’re done.”

For Cape Town Project, Thunk members want to use their donations to fund their trip to South Africa, where they visited in 2006. They will be performing and holding performing arts workshops for underprivileged children.

Much of that money is coming in from students who hope to witness the completion of the challenge in the spring, Daniel Diorio said.

“We wanted to do something that would be funny and outrageous and appeal to kids,” said the SESP junior, who is in charge of Thunk’s fundraising. “BeExtraordinary is so effective because it reaches kids who might not otherwise be socially conscious.”

Froliklong has high hopes for future expansion to other universities over the next year, he said. The Web site is currently only available to NU students, but the founders want to extend the service to other universities.

“We eventually envision fulfilling our company motto,” he said. “‘Philanthropy is greater than extraordinary.'”

SarahEberspacher2012

@u.northwestern.edu