By Kimberly Manahan (Story Editor)

Wesley College will be the first school in Delaware to host a philanthropic group that helps children.

Sophomore Dominick Zara proposed the idea of bringing “Up ‘til Dawn” to the college.

“I got the idea of Up ‘til Dawn when I went to Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI) [over the summer],” Zara said. “We watched a clip of students from another school participating and I just saw the level of activity involved and thought it could work here.”

The nationwide organization, partly sponsored by St. Jude’s Children Hospital, helps raise money for children with catastrophic illnesses.

“[Up ‘til Dawn] gives students another outlook on philanthropic causes,” Beth Fisher, director of student activities, said.

A lot of the families who are helped by Up ‘til Dawn have children who deal with rare cancers and they don’t have to pay, Fisher said.

“It is a morale booster helping cancer patients from across the world regardless of their economic status,” Zara said.

Fisher feels that this will give students another outlook on philanthropic causes.

It will also benefit students.

“The benefits that it will bring to the college are showing that we care about the community around us, and that we are willing to do what it takes to help out,” said SGA president Amberlyn Oldham, a senior.

Zara said the organization will try to get help from other college organizations and students.

Up ‘til Dawn is forming its constitution and by-laws, and recruiting the executive board, Fisher said.

“All that needs to be done for Up ‘til Dawn to become an organization is for it to be voted on by congress,” Oldham said. “The students that are in charge of the organization seem to be very prepared and excited to bring an organization like this to campus.”

Zara says that he is looking to raise anywhere from $35,000- $77,000, depending on how much support the organization receives.