The Student Council committee for community affairs held Hoo-bay, a flea market-style fundraising event, yesterday in the Amphitheater.
The committee planned the fundraising event in order to allow Contracted Independent Organizations with financial need to boost their funds. Many CIOs are short on money since Council voted in September to cut its funding of CIOs through the appropriations process by 6 percent.
The community affairs committee borrowed the idea for Hoo-bay from the weekly student organization flea market at Florida State University. The committee, along with Council President Daisy Lundy and Chief of Staff Noah Sullivan, have been preparing for the fundraiser for over a month.
"There were a lot of CIOs during appropriations last year who didn't get a lot of money," Community Affairs Chair Otis Ofori said. "We decided to have a venue so that they could make money to support themselves."
Seventeen CIOs applied to participate in Hoo-bay, with organization members volunteering to staff the booths in shifts throughout the day. Ofori said that Hoo-bay drew its peak crowd around lunchtime.
Approximately 20 volunteers from the Black Voices gospel choir participated in the fundraising efforts, asking for a $5 donation for their spring 2001 concert CD. In addition, the group sold tickets to their Oct. 31 concert.
"We're raising money for the organization as a whole," Black Voices member Jessica Fowler said. "We need general funding for maintenance, equipment and travel."
Black Voices plans to use money they make fundraising to buy robes and travel to concert venues.
Fowler estimated that five people donated money to Black Voices during her shift between 1:15 and 2:00 p.m.
Approximately 15 members of the Women's Club Frisbee team signed up for Hoo-bay shifts throughout the day. Team members said they needed to fundraise because of the shortage of funding this school year. The team sold frisbees.
"We need money to travel and play in tournaments," team member Hannah Kaska said.
First Right, a University pro-life organization, sold cookies, doughnuts and candy apples. The organization plans to put the money they raised towards future organization events.
"We are raising money to try and sponsor a pregnancy forum in November, talking about students who decide to go through with their pregnancies," First Right member Greg Chudy said.
Chudy said that approximately 10 people purchased items from the First Right booth during his two-hour shift and that the organization had made an approximate $20 profit off of the baked goods.
Participating clubs began planning for the fundraising event approximately one week ago after they were contacted by Council's Committee for Community Affairs.
The committee said it hopes to hold its second Hoo-bay in a month. If Hoo-bay is proves to be a successful event, the CIO's may have more regular opportunities to fundraise.
"When it takes off, we will try and make it a weekly event," Ofori said.
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