FTK article

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King, Emily Dec. 7, 2015 For The Kids For The Kids fundraisers benefit children’s hospital year round KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Bryan Cody, 11, has been a patient at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital since he was six weeks old and suffers from sickle cell disease. According to a video on the ETCH website, sickle cell disease causes pain and organ damage. Cody had his spleen removed at age two and has had more than 15 blood transfusions. Cody is one of the many children that For The Kids supports. FTK is an organization that exists on campuses all over the country. Each chapter of the organization works throughout the year to raise money for their local miracle network hospital. The Knoxville chapter of FTK puts on events during the school year to raise money for ETCH. The biggest fundraising effort is an allnight dance marathon in April. Natalie Grossman, FTK executive member, is in her third year of involvement with the organization. “We have monthly clinic parties that allow for the kids to be distracted and have some fun before they are about to undergo treatment. We also have holiday parties with the kids as well, which provide an outlet for the kids to go and have some fun, eat, and dress up,” Grossman said. According to the FTK website, since its creation in 1995 The University of Tennessee chapter has raised over $1 million for ETCH. The effort to raise funds for ETCH is ongoing. On Nov. 1 FTK presented Dunk N’ Donate, a 3on3 charity basketball tournament aimed to gain donations for the organization. According to the FTK executive board, funds raised this year will go toward buying vital sign monitors and Wii fun centers for ETCH. Although there are frequent events, the organization’s primary focus is the annual dance marathon in the spring. Much goes into planning, and multiple committees are involved in making the event happen. Rachel Durham, FTK member and a junior at UT, has participated in the organization since she was a freshman. “The purpose of the Morale Committee is ensuring that all of the participants spirits are high throughout the night. Because the event lasts all night, it can be difficult to maintain enthusiasm and remember the cause for which we are supporting and participating in,” Durham said. The existence of the morale committee is a testament to the organization’s desire to make this event fun for all who are involved. It is also their responsibility to keep the children engaged with activities, to ensure that it can be a special night for them. FTK members work throughout the year to make the organization’s events great. Members are always MORE

Transcript of FTK article

King,  Emily  

Dec.  7,  2015  

For  The  Kids  

For  The  Kids  fundraisers  benefit  children’s  hospital  year  round  

KNOXVILLE,  Tenn.  –  Bryan  Cody,  11,  has  been  a  patient  at  East  Tennessee  Children’s  Hospital  since  he  was  six  weeks  old  and  suffers  from  sickle  cell  disease.    

According  to  a  video  on  the  ETCH  website,  sickle  cell  disease  causes  pain  and  organ  damage.  Cody  had  his  spleen  removed  at  age  two  and  has  had  more  than  15  blood  transfusions.  Cody  is  one  of  the  many  children  that  For  The  Kids  supports.    

FTK  is  an  organization  that  exists  on  campuses  all  over  the  country.  Each  chapter  of  the  organization  works  throughout  the  year  to  raise  money  for  their  local  miracle  network  hospital.  

 The  Knoxville  chapter  of  FTK  puts  on  events  during  the  school  year  to  raise  money  for  ETCH.  The  biggest  fundraising  effort  is  an  all-­‐night  dance  marathon  in  April.    

Natalie  Grossman,  FTK  executive  member,  is  in  her  third  year  of  involvement  with  the  organization.      

“We  have  monthly  clinic  parties  that  allow  for  the  kids  to  be  distracted  and  have  some  fun  before  they  are  about  to  undergo  treatment.  We  also  have  holiday  parties  with  the  kids  as  well,  which  provide  an  outlet  for  the  kids  to  go  and  have  some  fun,  eat,  and  dress  up,”  Grossman  said.  

According  to  the  FTK  website,  since  its  creation  in  1995  The  University  of  Tennessee  chapter  has  raised  over  $1  million  for  ETCH.  

The  effort  to  raise  funds  for  ETCH  is  ongoing.  On  Nov.  1  FTK  presented  Dunk  N’  Donate,  a  3-­‐on-­‐3  charity  basketball  tournament  aimed  to  gain  donations  for  the  organization.    

According  to  the  FTK  executive  board,  funds  raised  this  year  will  go  toward  buying  vital  sign  monitors  and  Wii  fun  centers  for  ETCH.  

Although  there  are  frequent  events,  the  organization’s  primary  focus  is  the  annual  dance  marathon  in  the  spring.  Much  goes  into  planning,  and  multiple  committees  are  involved  in  making  the  event  happen.    

Rachel  Durham,  FTK  member  and  a  junior  at  UT,  has  participated  in  the  organization  since  she  was  a  freshman.    

“The  purpose  of  the  Morale  Committee  is  ensuring  that  all  of  the  participants  spirits  are  high  throughout  the  night.  Because  the  event  lasts  all  night,  it  can  be  difficult  to  maintain  enthusiasm  and  remember  the  cause  for  which  we  are  supporting  and  participating  in,”  Durham  said.    

The  existence  of  the  morale  committee  is  a  testament  to  the  organization’s  desire  to  make  this  event  fun  for  all  who  are  involved.  It  is  also  their  responsibility  to  keep  the  children  engaged  with  activities,  to  ensure  that  it  can  be  a  special  night  for  them.  

FTK  members  work  throughout  the  year  to  make  the  organization’s  events  great.  Members  are  always    

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aware  of  the  true  purpose  they  serve,  and  that  is  to  help  the  children  at  ETCH.    

“The  children  at  the  hospital  are  just  like  any  other  child.  They  like  to  play  and  are  involved  in  a  number  of  activities.  Cancer  and  other  diseases  should  not  limit  them  and  it  is  our  responsibility  to  show  the  children,  family,  and  nurses  that  UT  students  are  here  to  support  and  encourage  them  through  whatever  they  may  face,”  Durham  said.    

This  year  FTK’s  dance  marathon  is  April  1-­‐2.  For  more  information  on  FTK  and  how  to  join  the  organization  visit  www.ftkutk.org.    

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