Wear your jeans to work |
Mike Terry |
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Students, employees and staff at SIUE will be given the opportunity Friday to participate in a fund-raiser that will benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Employees and staff who participate in Lee National Denim Day will be allowed to wear jeans or any other denim item to work that day if they contribute $5 to the foundation. According to Donna Blackwell, a counselor for the Office of Human Resources, each department on campus will choose a representative to collect donations to allow students the opportunity to get involved as well. The event is sponsored by the Lee Denim Co. and co-sponsored by the Wellness Center, the Office of Human Resources, Women's Studies and the Office of the Registrar. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1982 by Nancy Brinker, in memory of her sister Susan G. Komen, who died at age 36 after a three-year battle with breast cancer. Since then, the foundation has raised more $240 million while providing many services to breast cancer patients. Besides educating women and their families about their choices when faced with cancer, the foundation also supports research to find better treatments and improve screening and technology. The foundation has also become well-known around the country for its "Race For the Cure" walking and running events. The foundation held its first Lee National Denim Day in 1996 and has surpassed its fund-raising goals every year. In just four years the foundation has raised more than $16.5 million for breast cancer research. In 1999 alone, more than 17,000 companies and 1.5 million employees participated to help the foundation raise $5.8 million. This is SIUE's first year participating in the event. University planners hope to raise $5,000 and assist the foundation in reaching its goal across the country of $6 million. For more information about the event or the foundation, check out the official Web site at www.denimday.com or contact a department collection representative..... | |