Campus ambassador crew raises awareness for pediatric cancer
A new organization on Central Michigan University’s campus is raising awareness while fundraising for pediatric cancer.
Love Your Melon is a non-profit organization that was developed by two college students from St. Thomas University, in Miami Fla. Livonia senior Shelby Gutkowski started a campus ambassador crew for Love Your Melon in the beginning of the semester.
Shirts, baseball caps, beanies and scarves are being sold on Love Your Melon’s website. When a beanie is sold, an identical one is given to a child with cancer.
Campus ambassador crews host fundraisers and promote Love Your Melon on college campuses across the country. The crew is expected to facilitate in-person sales events.
“The goal of Love Your Melon is to put a hat on the head of every child battling cancer,” senior Breanna Gleason said. “By bringing it to CMU, our goal is to put a hat on the head of students and spread awareness for pediatric cancer.”
The group is networking with other registered student organizations to encourage students to get involved. Love Your Melon crew members said they have gotten positive reactions about the organization's mission.
“Seeing other students wanting to be involved in a good cause is inspiring,” junior Jessica Hatfield said.
For every 100 beanies the CMU crew is responsible for selling, 10 members pass out beanies to the nearest pediatric cancer ward. The organization's record is selling over 1,500 hats in two days.
To be considered a RSO on campus, Love Your Melon must have a faculty adviser. The group is currently looking for an adviser who respects their mission of providing therapeutic recreation opportunities to children undergoing chemotherapy.
“CMU is a close-knit community and people are more than willing to help and spread information about the cause,” Gleason said.
Love Your Melon plans to hold fundraisers on campus in the coming months, along with fundraisers at other venues around Mount Pleasant.
For more information on how to join the Love Your Melon crew, contact gutko1sl@cmich.edu.
