Written by: Divya Palasamudram
Unfortunately, due to coronavirus, many children were not able to have the Halloween experience of going door to door and trick or treating. Preksha Jain and Manya Bhagat not only gave the children in their neighborhood a new, safe, experience to look forward to, but they were also able to raise money for an amazing cause while they were at it. In total, Preksha and Manya were able to raise $400 through their fundraiser!
Since October is breast cancer awareness month, Preksha and Manya decided to donate all funds raised to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). BCRF is the highest rated breast cancer organization in the U.S and the largest private funder of metastatic breast cancer research in the world. As mentioned on the BCRF website, “The mission of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation is to prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world's most promising research.”
Backstory
Preksha knew she wanted to host some kind of fundraiser event for the holidays. She started brainstorming ideas and decided to collaborate with her close friend Manya as she knew the great work ethic and determination her friend had. Originally, the two were planning on starting a hot chocolate stand and receiving donations that way. But, after joining General Services, Manya and Preksha collaborated with President and Vice President, Sonali and Shayna and decided upon a new, virtual idea -- a Halloween game night through Zoom!
Game Night!
The Halloween Game Night Fundraiser had 30 attendees of children ranging from the ages 3-15 years. Each family that attended paid a small entry fee, which went towards donations. Attendees were encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes and started off the night by discussing their costumes, favorite candy, and favorite movie. After discussing fun topics, everyone then played Halloween themed bingo where winners were able to choose from Chipotle and Cold Stone gift cards as a prize! After gift cards were handed out, the younger children took interest in playing pictionary, while older kids enjoyed the rest of the time playing the trending game, Among Us with each other. Preksha and Manya did an amazing job entertaining children of such a wide range of ages, everyone had loads of fun and no one had to step outside!