By Mariah Bennett | Staff Writer
CureBU hosted its annual event Paws for a Cause, formerly known as Puppy Playtime, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday on Fountain Mall, with over 50 people in attendance. Student-owned dogs and some from the Humane Society of Central Texas attended as well.
The event started with what public relations chair and Spring senior Sarah Parr said she considered a boom of attendees, with 20 to 25 people at the event before 4:10 p.m.
Dallas sophomore Anna Groll and her dog Harley, sporting a pink bandana, had attended the event since it began that late afternoon. Groll said Harley loved the event, and she was having a lot of fun too.
“I got to meet different people, and Harley got to meet with different dogs,” Groll said. “I would 100% come to this event again next year, I think it will be even bigger.”
The event was held at Fountain Mall, where dogs could interact and play. Human games included large Jenga and corn hole.
Paws for a Cause also had a table where students could write letters to children in CURE International hospitals. There was a second table where students could make donations and learn more about CureBU and CURE International. The table featured organization information and pictures of children in need of the surgeries.
Proceeds from the event will be used to fundraise for surgeries for children in CURE International hospitals that are located across the globe at the end of the semester. In the past, CureBU has donated funds to a Kenya location.
These donations specifically include surgeries for clubfoot, bowed legs, cleft lips, untreated burns and hydrocephalus, according to CURE International’s website.
President Savannah Landefeld, Arlington, Va. senior, said CURE International hospitals focus on healing the child not only physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually. She said this is especially healing for the children, who often have some negative outside forces due to their afflictions.
“We’re trying to raise money so we can fully fund one of the childrens’ surgery,” Landefeld said. “That’s our goal, to try and fund at least one surgery, but we’re really shooting for 1 to 2 surgeries.”
Paws for a Cause is the largest event of the semester for CureBU, according to the chapter’s Instagram. San Antonio senior and event chair Donese Cole said there were many technical aspects when planning Paws for a Cause.
“We’ve been working on planning this since the beginning of the semester,” Cole said. “From the first officer meeting we had we were talking about this.”
Parr said the joy that Paws for a Cause brings both for students and the children is a reflection of CureBU’s mission — to proclaim the kingdom of God and heal the sick.
“At Baylor, there is such a culture of giving,” Parr said. “A lot of Baylor students would really resonate with our mission, everyone here has such great hearts.”
Event attendees could play with the dogs for free, but were also able to donate to CureBU’s funding. Those who donated any amount received a free cup of Pop’s Lemonade and were entered into a raffle for a $25 Lighthouse Coffee & Wine gift card or tumbler, which was valued at $50 according to the event’s donation table. The raffle winner will be announced next week.
Franklin Park, N.J. senior Colleen Coudriet wrote one of the 27 letters to the children at CURE International hospitals. Coudriet said she thought the event was a success overall.
“I think it’s really sweet that people were able to walk past, come along, write cards and learn information and about the mission,” Coudriet said.
The dogs were both pets attending with owners and about three adoptable dogs from the Humane Society. This is the first time the Humane Society has partnered with Paws for a Cause in the event’s history.
“It’s a chance for the dogs to have some extra time running outside, seeing a bunch of new faces,” Parr said.
There were donations made by both Venmo and in cash. Landefeld said she was really happy with the way the event turned out and was able to spread the chapter’s mission.
“It’s cool that a lot of people who might not have known exactly why we were out here, I got to tell them what we’re doing here today,” Landefeld said.
