By Jaci Schneider, Staff Writer
Seven Spring Break Campaigns could lose hundreds of dollars if a few more students do not join them and cover remaining expenses.
Leaders of campaigns to New Jersey, Maine, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Honduras and Abilene said they are hoping more people will join the 489 students who will spend their spring break serving others.
If a campaign is not full, the cost of the already-purchased airline tickets is lost, said Clay Rich, SBC committee co-chair and junior accounting and finance major from Abilene. The campaign is responsible for the cost, not the university, Rich said.
Leaders will work with any interested students to figure out a payment plan, Rich said; the only money required up front is the cost of the plane ticket.
On most campaigns, spots are open because a student dropped out after the leaders bought plane tickets, Rich said. Those people were required to pay a fee for a name change on the ticket.
“We’ll probably be frantically searching for someone this week,” said Lindsey Jackson, co-leader of the campaign to Stroudsburg, Penn., and senior art major from Aurora, Colo.
No one dropped out of her 11-person campaign, but the leaders bought 12 plane tickets. The campaign to Stroudsburg costs $600, but if a 12th person is not found, the $240 plane ticket will come out of the campaign budget.
Jessica Masters, sophomore English major from Tallahassee, Fla., said she is in a similar situation. Her campaign to Philadelphia has 16 members but still needs two people. The plane tickets cost $300 each, which would put the group out $600.
“We won’t be hurt too terribly much because we over-budgeted,” said Masters, “but it’s not very good stewardship.”
In the days before departure, leaders such as Masters and Jackson said they are making final preparations for their trips by confirming transportation to and from the airport, making sure everyone knows what to pack and bonding with fellow campaigners.
The groups will also be recruiting all week, letting students know about their campaign.
“Philadelphia is the birthplace of Will Smith,” Masters said. “You can’t get any better than that.”
