Student athletes from the Big West Conference have been collecting coins to raise money for their schools’ charities in the 3rd annual Big West Conference Coin Drive, running throughout the month of February.
Each of the nine Big West member schools chose a charity to raise money for in this year’s coin drive.
For the past two years, Long Beach State raised money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Miller’s Children’s Hospital. This year, however, the 49ers will raise money for the Long Beach branch of Meals on Wheels.
Stephanie Glick, a jumper on the LBSU track and field team who also serves as the community service coordinator of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), said The Beach has set a goal of raising $6,000 this year. At the latest count, LBSU has collected more than $1,000, according to Glick.
“It’s a really good way to get athletes and the university involved in the community. … Everyone has been really supportive of [the coin drive],” Glick said.
The sophomore said she learned of the Meals on Wheels foundation last year in her nutrition class. Her teacher mentioned that it is one of the only foundations that provides food for people who are unable to buy it for themselves.
“It’s a nonprofit organization that runs completely off donations and volunteers … It’s Long Beach related,” Glick said.
According to the Cupertino native, LBSU chose the Long Beach branch of Meals on Wheels because the university wanted to directly help the local community.
The 49er track and field team has been collecting coins for the past year to donate in this month’s drive. Women’s soccer, among others, has also pitched in by taking donations during home games at the Walter Pyramid.
Since the fundraiser began in 2008, the Big West has progressively raised more money each year.
During the first annual coin drive in February 2008, student athletes raised almost $8,250. In February 2009, they raked in more than $14,670. This year, the Big West has set a goal of $15,000.
There is a catch, however. The institution that raises the most money for its charity also receives half of what all the other schools raise. The schools that do not win are still able to donate half of what they raised to their respective charities.
Big West national SAAC representative Danielle Neault, who helped orchestrate Pacific’s winning donation of more than $8,000 last year, said she enjoys the competitive aspect of the drive.
“The reason we do the splitting is that competitive element … All athletes love competition,” Neault said. “What we like about it is every charity makes something rather than just one charity.”
At the annual SAAC meeting, members had the option of voting on whether to keep the drive, change it or drop it completely after the first year. The overwhelming majority wanted to keep it the way it was, Neault said.
Anyone can donate and there is no set minimum on how much donors can give.
Donations are collected at the Pyramid annex located on campus. There will also be buckets circulated during home games at the Pyramid, collecting money for the fundraiser through the rest of the month.
More information about the fundraiser can be found at the 3rd Annual Big West Coin Drive Facebook group.