HAMMOND, Ind. & WESTVILLE, Ind. – The Purdue University Northwest Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) reached its goal during the 2016-17 school year, raising $1,275 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
PNW student-athletes across all 13 sports participated in dodgeball tournaments and cornhole tournaments to help raise money for Make-A-Wish.
SAAC members also organized Miracle Minutes, minute-long pursuits to gain as much money as possible from the stands during men’s and women’s basketball games.
“It makes me feel really good that we were able to raise that amount for such a good cause,” SAAC Community Service Chair and former PNW baseball standout Matt Sandoval said.
“Seeing what we did this year, helps me know they can definitely raise more and improve on everything.”
This year’s SAAC had over 25 dedicated members from across the athletic department which helped with planning events on campus and engaging in other community service projects.
“I am very proud of our SAAC members, athletes and everyone in the community who contributed to our Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser,” SAAC member and cross country runner Abigail Bondi mentioned.
“I am happy that all we earned will be donated to such a great cause, and I am glad to have been a part of it.”
SAAC will continue to make an impact on the surrounding community, and hope to exceed goals in raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation during the 2017-18 academic year.
NCAA Division II has a long-standing relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. The Division II SAAC established the Make-A-Wish partnership in 2003 and has since become one of the foundations’ largest and most consistent contributors, raising more than $4.7 million for the organization. In 2015-16, the annual total raised for Make-A-Wish from across Division II was $608,058.
More info about the NCAA Division II Make-A-Wish Program: http://www.ncaa.org/about/division-ii-make-wish-program