Kwantlen's annual Get Involved - Give Back Challenge Week has over 30 events happening from Sept. 20-25. Each campus hosts different activities, including ice hockey, yoga, dance classes and kickboxing. (Graphic by Sarah Casimong)

With more than 30 activities and a good cause to support, Kwantlen’s student leadership and development hopes to see an increase in participation in this year’s Get Involved – Give Back Challenge Week.

“[We had] 60 students and 20 employees [involved] last year,” Kurt Penner, coordinator of student leadership and development, said. It was the first time that there were more students than staff involved, and they raised more than $700 for Free The Children’s education campaign.

The aim for this year is not only to raise a bit more for the charity, but to also get more people involved.

“We’re trying to improve that to 300 [people] this year,” said Penner. “The primary goal is actually the community building. It’s really a secondary goal to generate some funds for charity. If we could raise $1,000, we’d be happy at this point.”

The event is an opportunity for students to show their school spirit by participating in challenges and trying a variety of activities. Each campus has its own calendar of events, including yoga, Zumba dance classes, belly dancing, ice hockey and kickboxing. There are also fun challenges like tug-of-war, Scrabble and a turban-tying contest. In addition to campus activities, there are events happening off campus, such as climbing the Grouse Grind.

There is a minimum $10 donation fee, 100 per cent of which goes to Free The Children.

According to Penner, Free The Children was chosen because the international charity supports young people in underprivileged areas.

“Free The Children organization supports educational programs and it seemed like a good step to have the charity be part of something educational,” said Penner.

According to the charity’s official site, its goal is to “free children from poverty and exploitation and free young people from the notion that they are powerless to affect positive change in the world.”

It has successfully built more than 650 school around the world.

Get Involved – Give Back Week starts Sept. 20 and ends Sept. 25. For more information, see the event website.

A belly dancer entertains the crowd at the Circus of the Night fundraiser for Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. (Abby Wiseman photo)

Public relations students hosted a big bash for Big Brothers on Feb. 9 at the Circus of the Night fundraiser.

Through ticket sales, donations and a silent auction, the second-year students raised $6,900, exceeding their goal of $6,000.

The idea behind the event was to create an atmosphere where adults could feel like kids again, said student Alicia Bernbaum.

Adding to the circus-vibe was the illusionist Yeeri, two belly dancers and tango dancers and candy apples, popcorn and “circus-tinis” were served.

One of the evening’s highlights was a speech by big brother Steve Lee, who spoke about the positive effect being a big brother has on his life.

Every year, second year PR students host a charity fundraiser as part of their event management course.

Amelia Kennedy is the course instructor and has been a Big Sister for 11 years. She knows how difficult it can be for 24 people to organize an event, and said they did “really well.”

“It’s really great to see all their hard work come together, and pull off a really great event, and raise a lot of money for Big Brothers,” said Kennedy.

The GDMA will host a Pub Night at Hudson’s Landing Pub on Southwest Marine Drive on Friday, Nov. 13.

Tickets are $15, and include admission, a burger and a beer.

Vanessa Klassen, chair of the GDMA grad class, hopes to raise $1,000 at the pub night, as well as host a good night out for Kwantlen students.

“It gives people a social opportunity, a chance to mingle and chat,” said Klassen.

GDMA grads have been busy selling everything from cupcakes to T-shirts and graphic agendas this year. They also hosted the fourth annual Halloween costume contest, which took place on Oct. 29 at the Richmond campus.

Proceeds from their fund-raising will go towards a week-long exhibition at Kwantlen that will showcase the grads’ work. They will also be throwing a party in Vancouver where the design industry professsionals will get a chance to see the work of the Kwantlen students.

The GDMA grads are planning for another pub night on Dec. 10 at Ceili’s Irish Pub in downtown Vancouver.

For more information about the GDMA pub night check out their blog.

Jennifer Campbell shares a laugh while selling cupcakes at the Langley campus. (Cori Alfreds photo)

KSA’s Langley campus representative, Jennifer Campbell, embraced Valentine’s day and made 600 cupcakes in 10 hours for a fundraiser.

“We wanted to do something for Valentine’s day and then we decided to make it a fundraiser for a charity,” she said.

All of the money raised will go to the Heart and Stroke Foundation and it will be matched by Kwantlen. The cupcakes were sold for a minimum donation of $1.

By Wednesday afternoon Campbell had raised about $175. She said that they still had “tons of cupcakes” left and if they don’t sell all of them by Friday they will probably give them to local homeless shelters.