Plaidvocates Donate Earnings to Two Pittsburgh Organizations
(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Upon hearing the news that all campus functions would be cancelled for the remainder of the semester, the Plaidvocates were, like so many other hardworking Carnegie Mellon University organizations, very disappointed. As dedicated servants of wellness, the group applauds and wholly supports the University for making these difficult decisions to protect the health and safety of the campus and community and contribute towards stopping the spread of the Covid-19 virus worldwide. Still, members were sad to say goodbye to all of the spring events they were looking forward to hosting for the community.
Though spectacular events are the Plaidvocates’ bread and butter, they realized that big events are not the only way to contribute to the well-being of the community. Together as an organization, they decided they could use their fundraised dollars to make donations. The group settled on two Pittsburgh-based causes - Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) in honor of their annual It’s On Us campaign event and the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank to help those affected by the widespread economic disruption caused by the pandemic. Both organizations were given $400 which the Plaidvocates raised during events on campus through the fall and winter seasons.
Plaidvocates president, Cameron Pitts, proudly stated that, “By making these donations, our organization is still able to help our local communities and serve our mission, even with the current circumstances. We strive to provide ways to help improve the health and wellbeing of our shared communities, and these donations have allowed us to do that.”
In response to the group’s decision to make donations, executive board member Selina Lee stressed how happy she is to have found a way to be a part of the global efforts to stop the spread of the virus. “I’m just glad I could be a part of contribution efforts in some way," said Lee. "I feel somewhat helpless as an individual but as a member of this group, it’s nice to see the payoff of our collective actions going into a response that helps vulnerable groups in this situation.”
Plaidvocates is still devoted to finding ways to remain connected with the athletic community and strive to continue serving their mission. The Plaidvocates can still be excellent resources of support during these frightening and isolating times, so please reach out to any of them at any time, and follow the group on Instagram (@cmu_plaidvocates) for announcements of virtual events and helpful content!
Plaidvocates is a peer health and wellness advocacy program for student-athletes that supports the well-being of CMU’s varsity athletics community.