By Raven Ash

After Haiti Connections members returned to campus following their mission to trip to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, they were flooded with questions on how others could make a difference too.

Haiti Connections wishes to continue to help the Haitians they met on the trip by furthering their fundraising efforts.

Those who were able to visit the country are now ready to make it possible for those who are unable to make the trip to touch the lives of many families living almost 2,000 miles away.

Haiti Connections will be hosting several on-campus events to wrap up the academic year and get those students who wish to help, involved in the fundraising process.

Darts have become part of Thursday night festivities for many students. Haiti Connections is jumping on the band wagon by hosting a darts tournament March 21^st at 9 p.m. in The Hawks Nest. The cost is $2 a person and students will enjoy a fun night of darts, karaoke, food, and prizes. Prizes for winning teams will include gift cards and gas cards. The bar located in The Hawks Nest will also be available to students who are 21 or older.

“I think the darts event will be a really successful event for Haiti Connections because it is a really big intermural thing that happens on campus,” Anna Konczak, Haiti Connections member, said.

Haiti Connections will also be asking students to make a sacrifice and give up their spare change during this year’s 40 days of Lent. The club will be distributing water bottles during Sunday Mass to collect donations for the Haitians they met during their trip. Last year, the club raised $650 in change collected in water bottles. This year, the group hopes to exceed that mark by raising $700 before the bottles are collected on April 21^st.

“On-campus fundraising is allowing us to help people in Haiti, while interacting with students in a fun way,” Jose Rojas, Haiti Connections member, said.

As the weather begins to warm up, the group plans to get students back outside by firing up the grill for a barbeque.  On April 28^th, students will be invited to enjoy a meal and participate in outdoor games. Hot dogs, burgers, chips and drinks will be sold as a meal for $5 to raise funds for Haiti.

Members of the group will also be feeding students’ sweet tooth with $1 donuts outside of the cafeteria in the weeks following Spring Break.

“I would love for students to come support our organization because we are doing this for a better cause and everyone that went on the trip, we all came back with changed perspectives, so coming out to support us would give us a bigger chance to even donate more to those people living over there,” Oluwatimilehin Ajayi, Haiti Connections president, said.