The USF St. Petersburg Black Student Association held its second annual Valentine’s Charity Date Auction on Friday, Feb. 10. The action raised money for the Ronald McDonald House, a charity that works to improve the health and well being of children. Winners of the auction received a dinner date with their bachelor or bachelorette.
Seven USFSP students volunteered to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. By the end of the auction, BSA raised over $170.
“Everything that we earned is going to go straight to charity,” said Terehas Henry, BSA treasurer and coordinator of this year’s event. “I really like kids, so I thought the Ronald McDonald House was a great choice.”
Since 1974, Ronald McDonald House Charities have provided housing for families that have to deal with the difficulties of hospitalized children. The houses allow families to stay closer to their children’s hospitals at little or no cost. With a temporary place to stay, families are able to get the best care possible for their children even if it’s thousands of miles away from home.
BSA has put on a number of campus events to raise cultural awareness and help the local St. Petersburg community. One of the events that students can look forward to is this year’s Gospel Explosion, which will include different singing and dancing acts from across the bay area. There will also be a poetry slam this semester, with prizes given for the best spoken-word artists.
All photos by Daniel Mutter.
