By J1 Reporter Cassie Bauer

Marian’s annual Walk-A-Thon (WAT) fundraiser provides students with several fundraising opportunities to support the cause. These in-school fundraising opportunities consist of bake sales and give-back nights. In recent years Marian students have taken initiative to come up with new fundraising efforts to raise money outside of school. During the month of September Marian students walked door-to-door in neighborhoods around Omaha and sold donuts after sporting events at different parishes to raise money for WAT. 

Walking door-to-door proved to be an extremely successful method of fundraising. According to junior Lauren Militti, “lots of people were willing to donate while walking door-to door.” This method of fundraising is not only a great way to make money, “it’s a great way to tell people about Marian and tuition assistance,” Militti said. 

 While walking door-to-door may sound daunting to some, strangers and alumnae alike are often more than willing to support the cause. This method of fundraising can appeal to many, whether it is a stranger who has never heard of WAT before or a Marian alum who knows about Walk-A-Thon already. 

 Another successful fundraising effort made by students was selling donuts and different baked goods at parishes around Omaha. Marian students opted to find an economically and environmentally sound way to acquire the amount of baked goods they needed. In order to do this, students called businesses around Omaha requesting donations of their leftover goods from the day rather than having them be thrown out at the end of the night. “Lamar’s [a local donut shop located at 168th and Harrison] responded and told us that they would be more than happy to donate in order to prevent wasting the food,” junior Mia Butler said. 

 On Sept. 9, a group of Marian students arrived at Lamar’s to pick up more than seven dozen donuts. “It was heartwarming to know that businesses wanted to support our cause and their free donations really helped raise money for the school,” junior Julia Trainer said. 

The next day Marian students dispersed to parishes around Omaha looking to catch hungry volleyball players and family members before their games started. One group at St. Wenceslaus made a makeshift stand out of the trunk of their car to sell the dozens of donuts they had picked up the night before. The effort these students put into their fundraising efforts proved to be a great success and ended up making a major contribution to WAT.

Whether it be asking a stranger to support WAT by walking door-to-door or putting in the effort to find businesses that supported the cause, creative fundraising methods ended up bringing in great revenue for Walk-A-Thon. Although Marian does a great job providing its students with necessary funding means, it is the effort made by students outside of school that can really make a difference.