LETU, ASC Student-Advisory Committees Prepare For Sixth Annual “Make a Change in 14 Days"
RICHARDSON, Texas – For the sixth consecutive year, Student-Athlete Advisory Committees from all 16 American Southwest Conference member institutions are set to join together in "Make a Change in 14 Days," a service project collecting loose coins to raise funds for local charitable organizations.
Arrangements are in place to collect change at local campuses over the 14-day period of January 23 through February 5 – coinciding with the turn of the ASC's divisional basketball schedule.
The members of the LeTourneau University SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee), voted to donate the proceeds to the Boys and Girls Club of Longview.
The YellowJackets kick off the campaign on Saturday, January 21 by hosting "White Out" at the women's and men's basketball games against East Texas Baptist Everyone is urged to wear white, or be one of the first fifty in the door to receive a NCAA/LETU white T-shirt with a minimum donation of $1.
All concession stand proceeds from the Thursday, January 26 basketball games will be donated to the Make A Change in 14 Days Campaign.
The conference-wide project is also designed as a friendly challenge among the ASC campuses. Along with the top three-earning member SAACs being honored by the conference, institutions will be going head-to-head against their basketball travel partners:
Louisiana College vs. Mississippi College
Centenary vs. East Texas Baptist
LeTourneau vs. Texas-Tyler
Concordia Texas vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor
Schreiner vs. Texas Lutheran
Howard Payne vs. Sul Ross State
Hardin-Simmons vs. McMurry
Ozarks vs. Texas-Dallas
Last year, the conference SAAC groups combined to raise a record $11,938.57 for charity. In five years, nearly $40,000 has been raised to benefit 50 different organizations. In each of the last four campaigns, the SAAC groups have topped the $8,000 mark.
"We are excited to raise funds for the Boys and Girls Club of Longview through the ASC Make a Change in 14 Days campaign," LeTourneau athletic director Terri Deike said. "The fund-raiser is a great way to get student-athletes involved in giving back to the local community in ways that benefit young students.
"We hope to involve the LETU campus in raising awareness and funds for the Boys and Girls Club, while competing against fellow ASC athletic departments."
Schreiner was the top-collecting ASC institution for the first time in 2011, raising $2,805 for the Kerrville YMCA so that children in its local community could have the opportunity to be involved in sports and use state-of-the-art equipment. McMurry won the inaugural "Make a Change in 14 Days" title in 2007 (donated to Children's Miracle Network), followed by three straight crowns by Louisiana College (St. Frances Cabrini Cancer Center for breast cancer research).
"It has been wonderful to see the commitment and passion showed by our student-athletes, athletic departments and fans since Make a Change in 14 Days started in 2007," said ASC Assistant Commissioner and SAAC Co-Advisor Greg Weghorst. "As a conference office, this is a project we look forward to every year and hope it continues for many years to come."
Keep up with the status of "Make a Change in 14 Days" on the conference's official website (ASCsports.org), Twitter Feed (@ASC_sports) and Facebook Page. Specific details for each institution can be found on their athletics website.
