Athletic Training Club to host Special Olympics benefit concert
The Athletic Training Club at the University of Indianapolis will host a benefit concert for the Special Olympics that will take place on March 22 at 6 p.m. in Ransburg Auditorium.
According to senior athletic training major Amanda Hickle, the Athletic Training Club decided to put on this event in part because of the club’s work with the Special Olympics in the past.
“We [the Athletic Training Club] volunteer a lot with Special Olympics,” Hickle said. “We work the basketball tournament here every year, and then I work the summer Special Olympics every year, too.”
This is the second year that the Athletic Training Club has hosted a benefit concert for the Special Olympics. According to Hickle, the benefit concert raised more than $600 last year.
“We did the benefit concert this year because we thought it [the concert] went well last year,” said senior athletic training major Meagan Shafer. “Since it [the Special Olympics] is a great cause, we wanted to do the event again. We wanted to also make it even bigger and better than last year’s concert.In addition to a concert, the event also will feature a silent auction.
“We are going to have a table outside in the lobby. And you can come up to the table of what you want and put down the next bid and your contact information,” Hickle said. “If someone else bids, you [can] bid higher. And then at the end of the night, we’ll call you if you’re not there and tell you what you [have] won.”
Shafer, who also is a member of the Athletic Training Club, said that collecting donations for the silent auction was her favorite part of last year’s event.
According to Hickle, the silent auction prizes will include gift cards from different restaurants and autographed memorabilia, such as basketballs.
The reason for having both a concert and a silent auction was so that more people would come to the event, Hickle said.
“We thought that [for] people who weren’t interested in music, we could do a silent auction, or try to get the older crowd to come as well,” Hickle said.
The main band playing for the event will be Phone Calls from Home, but Hickle said the Athletic Training Club plans to have a few more local bands play as well.
One of the local bands is rock ‘n’ roll group Jimmy Figy and the Night.
“I am performing because I think it’s for a great cause,” said sophomore English major James Figy. “I think it’s great that the Special Olympics gives people a chance to fulfill their dreams and compete when it [competing] wouldn’t otherwise be possible.”
The Athletic Training Club will sell tickets for $3 at tables in the Schwitzer Student Center from 11 a.m. to1 p.m. on the Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays leading up to the event. Tickets will be $5 at the door.
Shafer said that donating money to the Special Olympics is important.
“They [Special Olympics Indiana] are a nonprofit organization, and I think it’s a very good cause,” she said. “I feel like all people should be able to live a healthy lifestyle, including those with intellectual disabilities.”
All proceeds from the event will go to Special Olympics Indiana.
