Jason Abisch
Equinox Staff
Courtney Hoelen, senior at Keene State College, started a Facebook Causes page five years ago pertaining to partial-birth abortion for her senior essay and it landed her recognition by the college and the group Life International.
She created this cause in order to inform people what partial-birth abortion was and the extent of its effects.
“It shows me the littlest thing can do a lot,” Hoelen said.
Hoelen got people to join her cause by telling all of her friends about it and through recognition by her school and the Life International group she was able to spread the word.
As of September 2, 2011 there are currently 244,711 members and it has raised $3,415.72.
This money is being donated to Life International INC, whose mission according to their website, is to “multiply healthy, life-giving ministries wherever abortion exists around the world.”
As technology becomes more prominent in our society, student organizations at KSC are focusing their fundraising techniques less towards paper advertisements and more along the lines of digital media.
Groups find that people are more accessible through online pages and they are able to connect with each other a lot easier.
Additionally, these groups are able to spread their message and fundraising ideals more effectively.
Mentors in Violence Prevention is a group that was started up at Keene State College as an “organization of male and female student leaders committed to preventing sexual violence at KSC.”
Forrest Seymour, co-advisor for MVP, heads several programs that are presented in classrooms and other venues.
Seymour said for their biggest fundraising event, “Walk-a-Mile in Her Shoes raised over $20,000, which was then donated to the Monadnock Center for Violence Protection.”
Along with the work that Seymour has done with MVP, Kasey LaFlam, the education and community outreach coordinator from the Monadnock Center for Violence Protection, said, “Their main sources of advertising for this event are radio ads, mailbox stuffers, flyers posted around the entire Monadnock region, as well as reaching out to businesses for sponsorships.”
Another form of fundraising used by MVP was meeting with Greek life on campus and having them promote participating in Walk-a-Mile.
Both Seymour and LaFlam mentioned the importance of spreading awareness about their causes throughout the community and the most effective way to achieve their goal is moving toward more digitalized fundraising outlets.
Their efforts to move to more digitalized fundraising includes a Facebook page or Causes page.
The increase of internet functionality and resources has caused a power shift in fundraising and advertising for a cause from paper ads and posters to digitalized money donations, advertising, and communication among people in different groups.
Jason Abisch can be contacted at jabisch@ksc.mailcruiser.com
