Elon Law students support Power of Play Foundation

Tyler Wilson, second from left, of the Power of Play Foundation, with Elon Law students who led a fundraising effort for the foundation, from left: Britt Burch, Morgan Meyers, Marissa Kuzbyt, Blakeney Brown and Anne Evangelista. [/caption]Article by Gonzalo Ventura, Class of 2016, Elon Law

On the afternoon of Tuesday, March 3, six second-year Elon Law students completed a fundraising program they organized, encompassing the entire Elon Law community and raising over $600 in monetary donations and $200 in toy donations for the Power of Play Foundation. Information posted online describes the Power of Play Foundation as a part of Proehlific Park Family Sports Complex and Fitness Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. Kelly and Ricky Proehl created the foundation in 1995. Its mission in part is “teache[ing] the children in our programs through our core values of Play, Opportunity, Work, Excellence and Respect!”

The group of second-year students who organized and managed the fundraiser at Elon Law included: Blakeney Brown, Britt Burch, Anne Evangelista, Marissa Kuzbyt, Morgan Meyers, and Courtney Pine. The group of students worked with Tyler Wilson, the point of contact at the Foundation, to organization the fundraiser. Ms. Wilson came into contact with the law students in October of 2014, meeting them through the “Gridiron Girls” event hosted by the intramural football league at Proehlific Park many Elon Law students participated in this past season.

Second-year law students enjoyed an ice cream reception funded by law student organizations in recognition of their success in raising funds for the Power of Play Foundation. [/caption]The fundraiser was organized as a class versus class versus class style competition at the law school. Among the first, second and third year classes the one that donated the most, both in terms of monetary value and physical toys, received a dessert bar for winning. On March 3, the second-year class enjoyed an ice cream party in recognition of winning the competition. The Women’s Law Association, Phi Alpha Delta, Intellectual Property Society and the Student Bar Association sponsored the dessert bar so that no funds would be removed from the fundraisers donation amount.

“Students and student organizations throughout Elon are always involved in community service, so we had no doubt that our fellow students would support this fundraiser and really be on board with it, we just added the dessert bar to make it a little more fun” said second-year student Marissa Kuzbyt when asked about the organization of the fundraiser.

Donations were given from students, faculty and staff, as well as friends and family of law students. All of the donations were delivered to the Power to Play Foundation at Proehlific Park in early December so the donations could be distributed to local Greensboro families prior to Christmas.

In discussing why she knew the fundraiser would be successful and what the groups motivation was Kuzbyt said, “Elon Law students want the law school to grow and continue to make a difference, and we thought, what better way to do that then to help out a local Greensboro organization and Greensboro families.”