Midnight on the Hill (MOTH) took its finale to the Preston Center with over 900 people on Friday from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. to raise money for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Screams could be heard throughout the Preston Center as the event began to ramp up. People filed in to help support and partake in the many activities MOTH offered: from events such as volleyball, mafia, silent disco and musical chairs to playing dodgeball in the racquetball rooms.
“I’ve had a good time, I’ve met a ton of new people,” said Sam Armstrong, an attendee and member of the Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) fraternity at WKU. “I think it’s a great cause to be fighting for.”
One station at the event featured writing letters to the children at St. Jude Hospital. To Rayna Taylor, a first-year recruitment committee member running the station, the cards physically represent what MOTH has done monetarily.
“I feel like a letter makes all of this tangible, especially for a little kid and especially for a parent who’s reading that and sees these young adults really caring about putting their money towards helping their children and helping them,” said Taylor.
Attendees could also enter into a raffle where one of the standout prizes amongst attendees was a Twisted Tea Statue of Liberty. Some other prizes included a Corvette museum gift basket and various gift cards.
This was not the first event, however. Abbi Young, the executive director for MOTH, told the Herald about various events leading up to the finale to help raise money. During the fall semester, MOTH hosted a volleyball and pickleball tournament. During the spring semester, they held a Love is Blind event and a Call-A-Thon to help raise even more money for the cause.
Last year, MOTH raised $91,000 for St. Jude. This year, the goal was to raise over $100,000.
“We’re hoping for a record number tonight,” Young said.
At midnight, it was announced that MOTH raised $120,543.73 this year, nearly breaking all previous records. This contributed to over $600,000 MOTH has raised collectively in the past 6 years at WKU.
All funds raised will go to St. Jude to help ensure that kids diagnosed with cancer can get the best treatment possible. From providing families with payment relief to furthering research, St. Jude aims to create the best care possible and develop treatments for childhood cancer.
“I think for us (St. Jude), what’s so exciting is to see the next generation of St. Jude supporters coming out,” said Sarah Wilkes, the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC) representative. “We’re really proud of the school for coming together to support the kids.”
See the full Midnight on the Hill gallery by Staff Photographer Von Smith here.
