Students serve pancakes for Haiti

The University of Toledo community raised $700 to donate to Haiti through a pancake dinner fundraiser Thursday night.

The dinner took place in the dining hall of the Horton International House, from 10 p.m. until midnight and each student paid $4 to attend the midnight dinner.

The event was organized through the collective efforts of several student organizations including the student Christian group Zakuska, the Latino Student Union, Saudi Club, Muslim Student Association, African Peoples Association, Chinese Student Association, Indian Student Cultural Organization, National Pan-Hellenic Council, UT College Democrats, Student Government, Alpha Phi Alpha, Black Student Union and the Dean of Students Office.

"We wanted it just to be an opportunity for the campus to come together," said Mindy King, a sophomore majoring in communication and a member of Zakuska who served on the planning committee for the dinner.

All of the resources for the event were donated by students and local businesses, which allowed all of the money raised to go towards the Haitians, King said.

Uncle John's Pancake House donated enough pancakes to feed 500 people, cups were donated from Burger King and other local restaurants and student organizations donated silverware and plates.

"I'm really proud of the students for stepping up," said Student Government President Krystal Weaver.

"It was a fun atmosphere; even the cooks were dancing," King said.

"It was originally a Zakuska event," said Dean Bellas, a graduate student majoring in higher education and a member of the dinner planning committee.

Bellas, who has traveled to Haiti twice, said he worked hard in collaboration with the other members on the planning committee, running weekly meetings, delegating tasks, and helping to coordinate the efforts of everyone involved.

When Zakuska took the idea to the Dean of Students Office and held informational meetings to organize the dinner over 30 different student organizations expressed interest in the fundraiser, Bellas said.

The death toll of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that shook Haiti on Jan. 12 is roughly 230,000 with more bodies remaining uncounted, according to the Associated Press.

"After the earthquake, a lot of students wanted to know what they could do to help," said Interim Dean of Students Michele Martinez.

The dinner also included paper hearts that students could buy for $1, which will be displayed on the doors of students who donated to show they "have a heart for Haiti," Martinez said.

The students expected a turnout of about 500 people, but only a little over 100 were in attendance, according to King.

Bellas said the low attendance may have been caused by other events happening on campus at the same time as the dinner, rather than students not wanting to donate.

"Unfortunately there was another food event going on at the same time in the Greek community," Bellas said.

All the money raised at the dinner will be donated to the Children of Promise International Orphanage in Leogane, Haiti, an orphanage the members of Zakuska visited just days before the earthquake.

There have been a variety of Haiti support events happening across campus including the Muslim Student Association soccer tournament, which raised $154 for the victims of the earthquake, according to Martinez.

"When we want to come together as a university to do some good we are definitely able to do that," Martinez said.