A group of nursing students are promoting the #EbolaChallenge to raise money and awareness for the deadly Ebola virus on campus.
Alicia Adams, senior nursing major from San Antonio, started the campaign on campus with the help of Laura Edwards.
“It is exciting to be a part of something that has an impact on the recipient as well as the donor,” said Edwards, senior nursing major from Houston. “The receiver will get money to help with medical needs and the donor becomes a part of something bigger than himself or herself.”
The students wanted to reach out to the student body because of Ebola survivor Dr. Kent Brantley’s strong connection to ACU. All proceeds from the fundraiser will be donated to Samaritan’s Purse relief funds. Samaritan’s Purse is the organization Brantley worked with.
The two will sell bracelets to raise money for the cause.
On average, for every bracelet sold, 10 people will be provided an education on Ebola infection prevention, or an hour of hospital care can be provided for an infected patient in Liberia.
Adams expresses the importance of prayer and support for a meaningful fundraiser such as this one.
“We don’t want prayer without action or action without prayer,” she said. “Even though we are really encouraging prayer, we are also encouraging actual action to be done.”
The Ebola Challenge asks participants to give up something materialistic for five days, such as fast food, gourmet coffee or soda. The money that one would normally spend on the material good would be donated to Samaritan’s Purse’s relief efforts in West Africa.
If the student is not able to give something up, there is an alternative to the challenge. The student can choose to give up a non-material good such as social media. Every time one is tempted to get on social media during the five-day period, they stop and pray for the crisis and relief efforts in West Africa.
“I don’t want people to be moved to fear,” Adams said. “I want people to be inspired to take action.”
The bracelets will be on sale for $5 in the Campus Center Tuesday-Thursday from 11:30 a.m. -12:50 p.m. If any are left, the students will continue to sell them next week.
