Logistical and planning errors resulted in the abrupt cancellation of USF St. Petersburg’s annual Love-A-Bull auction, originally scheduled for last Thursday.
Student Government canceled the event on Tuesday, just two days before the initial scheduled date. The auction has been rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 15, at 3 p.m., and will be held in front of the University Student Center.
“We felt that the event (date) was not close enough to Valentine’s,” said Laraine Ruiz, an SG senator in charge of the auction. “Thursday wasn’t an ideal date either. There were also several competing events on campus that took attendance away.”
Ruiz also said the event was postponed to improve the way the auction is run and increase participation.
Shani Traci, a freshman studying mass communications, volunteered for the event to help local charities. When she found out the auction was being rescheduled, she was disappointed.
“I didn’t want (the new date) to interfere with future obligations,” Traci said.
The Love-A-Bull auction is an annual campus event that raises money for charities by auctioning off a date with a student volunteer. Donors may bid on a potential date with the volunteer, and funds are then donated to a charity.
“The volunteer can choose to go on the date with the donor, but none of this is promised,” said Ruiz. “We (student government) do not facilitate that part either, other than letting the donors and volunteers know that the date is not promised, or mandatory.”
$1,000 was raised for charity in the event’s first year and about $2,000 was raised last year, according to Ruiz.
SG members said they plan to beat last year’s total and raise over $2,000 in Monday’s auction.
All proceeds will benefit three charities: Disabled American Veterans, Power of Change and the USFSP Miracle Dance Marathon.
