Every year, Sing Song provides an opportunity for clubs and organizations to compete with each other for a coveted place in ACU history, but more recently, it also provides an opportunity for winning organizations to use their success to donate thousands of dollars to charities or causes of their choice.
This year, the benefits of winning will be twofold, including a chance to have the organizations’ name engraved on the “Sing Song cup,” as Tom Craig, director of student productions, refers to the trophy, and the opportunity to donate a minimum of $1,000 to a charity or cause.
Last years’ winners were the first to have their names forever commemorated not only on Sing Song programs for years to come, but on the Sing Song cup as well. The trophy eventually will be displayed in a custom built case in the Campus Center, Craig said.
On Saturday night, a winner will be chosen for each of the three categories: women’s, men’s and mixed voices. Each of the three overall winners will each receive a minimum of $1,000 to donate, Craig said. Some of the prize money already has been donated, and the remainder will come from audience collections during the shows. Craig said offering prize money helps bring deeper meaning to Sing Song.
“One of the things prize money has helped us realize,” Craig said, “is how to do good with what God has given us.”
Each of the acts has selected potential recipients for their prize money. Last year, the winners all agreed to donate the funds collectively to the Bazillion family. This year, the causes vary, many based on programs with which the organizations’ members already are connected.
For example, sophomores have chosen to benefit Samantha Bahl, a former member of the sophomore class from Abilene, who is battling cancer and has been forced to drop out of school at ACU. Juniors, Trojans and Kojies also have chosen to donate potential winnings to the Bahl family.
Freshmen have selected Love and Care Ministries, as several members currently volunteer there. The men of Frater Sodalis and women of GATA have chosen Jeremiah’s Hope, an orphanage in Ukraine with which Frat Marcus Womble and GATA president Bonnie Kellum both have been personally involved. Pi Kappa will donate to ICAN, Interested Citizens of Abilene North, Sub T-16 chose Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the men of Galaxy will donate to the Kirk Goodwin Run.
The women of Alpha Kai Omega will donate funds to LOVE146, an organization that works to end child sex slavery. Director Arielle Collier said her pledge class partnered with LOVE146, and members still are connected to the effort.
Other acts include International Students Association, benefiting Enter Hope; the senior class, benefiting Mission Lazarus; the graduate students, benefiting Pregnancy Resources of Abilene; the women of Delta Theta, benefiting Red Thread Movement; the men of Gamma Sigma Pi benefitting the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation; and the women of Sigma Theta Chi, who have yet to choose a charity.
