Ruth Brown

Every Monday, all three Java City locations on campus will donate five cents of every beverage sold to the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN). “Miracle Mondays” began on Sept. 24 and will continue until the day of the CMN State-A-Thon on March 1, 2008.

“We are very fortunate to be able to use Java City as a fundraiser,” said Kristen Blasius, CMN State-A-Thon coordinator and senior psychology major. “It’s a really great opportunity to help the children and families who belong to the CMN and to inform others about the program.”

There are three Java City locations on campus that are active in the Miracle Mondays fundraiser. They can be found in the Student Union, Medary Commons and the Nursing, Family and Consumer Sciences building. Supporting Miracle Mondays is one great way to get involved with SDSU’s CMN State-A-Thon, said Blasius.

“I think Miracle Mondays was a really great idea,” said Jessamyn Berreth, CMN recruitment coordinator and junior consumer affairs major. “It’s an easy way to get students involved in the State-A-Thon.”

Initially, when the State-A-Thon committee wanted to start Miracle Mondays, it was only supposed to last for a month, said Berreth. Thanks to the generosity of SDSU Dining Services Director Dave Menzel, campus dining services agreed to let the fundraiser run all the way until March. It’s a wonderful help to the State-A-Thon, Berreth said.

Miracle Mondays is just one of the fundraisers that the CMN State-A-Thon is hosting. In previous years, the State-A-Thon was known as the CMN Dance Marathon but is now much more than that. On March 1 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the University Program Council will be hosting a 12-hour marathon in the Volstroff Ballroom of the Union to help CMN families.

The State-A-Thon will include entertainment, dancing, food and games. Some of the CMN families will also be there to enjoy the event. Students must raise $100 in order to enter the marathon; fundraising information is available to students in the UPC office of the Student Union, said Blasius. Dancers who wish to register can do so at the CMN State-A-Thon Web site, http://www.kidsmiracles.org/cmnstateathon, or speak to someone at the UPC office.

“The marathon should be a really fun event for the CMN families and children,” Blasius said.

All of the money raised by Java City and the other fundraisers of the State-A-Thon will go to the local CMN hospital, Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls. The State-A-Thon’s donation to the CMN will help pay for special equipment, lodging for families and much more.

“This is the seventh year the University Program Council has hosted the CMN State-A-Thon,” Blasius said. “Last year we raised approximately $27,000. This year, our goal is to raise at least $40,000.”

After a long night of studying, students are more than welcome to grab a cup of coffee on Monday mornings at Java City to get an extra caffeine kick. A nickel of every drink sold will help save a child who is in need.

#1.883066:1425378073.jpg:miracle mondays JN.jpg:Java City employee Megan Peter prepares a steaming cup of hot chocolate for a customer in the Student Union.: