The Alive in Christ student organization hosted an event outside Founders Hall featuring FMU professors in a dunking booth on Sept. 27 in an effort to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network.
The event, called Dunk-A-Palooza, was held from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., and Alive in Christ served free pizza, banana pudding and soft drinks for any person who stopped by from noon to 1 p.m. The event raised over $140 and provided free food to over 230 people.
Lauren Cole, junior biology major and Vice President of Alive in Christ, said that the purpose of the event was to donate all collections for the dunking booth to the Children’s Miracle Network.
A person who paid for throws would receive two softballs for a dollar. That person then was charged with hitting a bull’s-eye target about twice the size of the ball at a distance of several yards, located near the tank of water that a professor sat just above on a fall-away seat. Should a perfect throw be cast, the seat would drop down and the respective professor dunked.
Six FMU professors agreed to climb into the dunking booth for the event.
The list included Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Timothy Shannon, Instructor of English Natalie Mahaffey, Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Erin Eaton, Assistant Professor of Management Dr. Hubert Setzler III, Assistant Professor of Philosophy Dr. Matthew Turner, and Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies Dr. Mark Blackwell.
Cole said that Blackwell seemed to be the main target of many students who came by the event.
“He’s the big, grand finale,” Cole said.
The Children’s Miracle Network is a national charity focused on raising money for children’s healthcare. Austin Kemmerlin, a sophomore biology major and member of Alive in Christ, said that he was a Miracle Child a few years ago and understands the organization.
“I was a Miracle Child in 2001,” Kemmerlin said. “I was in and out of the hospitals ever since I was born. A dunking booth is a good way of raising money and having fun.”
John Brasche, a senior middle level education major and President of Alive in Christ, said that the Alive in Christ organization donated to the Children’s Miracle Net-work with this event but has worked with other charities.
“We have supported other groups in the past like Harvest Hope, House of Hope and Manna House,” Brasche said.
Alive in Christ meets every Monday evening in LSF 106 at 7 p.m.