CEDARVILLE, Ohio - It is uncommon on a college campus to see kids running around or hear excited squeals and giggles from children. But one weekend a year, Lil' Sibs Weekend, the dining areas host sticky hands grabbing for an endless supply of fries and ice cream. For this weekend, children get to experience college life with their older sibling.
Cedarville's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) capitalized on the influx of young visitors, hosting a kids' carnival during the men's and women's basketball games on Saturday, Feb. 7 to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
This kids' carnival is one of several fundraisers that SAAC hosts to support Make-A-Wish, including their Miracle Minutes during basketball games, where they collect change in a bucket for a minute. They also host a tailgate later in the spring to assist in fundraising efforts.
Each child who was registered for the weekend was invited to a kids' carnival, designed for sports-loving siblings and parents who were looking to help their kids burn off some energy. Nearly 450 children were expected to come to the basketball games and were given free admission, with an invitation to the carnival on the far side of the gym.
The carnival included various sports: mini bowling, football toss, putt putt, mini basketball hoops and soccer nets, cornhole and fishing for prizes using a baseball bat.
And it wouldn't be a carnival without a good old-fashioned ring toss.
SAAC president and senior goalkeeper on the women's soccer team, Kaelan Swallow, came up with the fundraising idea after recalling her high school putting on a similar event.
"We thought it would be a great way [to raise money], with it being Lil' Sibs Weekend and a bunch of kids here for basketball games," Swallow said. "We thought it was a fun way to incorporate it."
Swallow and the SAAC representatives weren't the only ones who helped out. Many of Cedarville's student-athletes assisted in making the carnival possible. While the basketball teams and cheerleaders were playing during the event, they set up in the morning, while men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball worked stations to ensure kids had the most fun possible.
Swallow was at the event, helping with any extra questions or tasks that arose to ensure a smooth experience.
The carnival ran from halftime of the women's game to halftime of the men's game, allowing parents to purchase tickets for their children in classic carnival fashion and test out their abilities on each game.
Alyssa Beals, Director of Marketing and Sponsorships at Cedarville and SAAC's faculty supervisor, helped her representatives in organizing an effective and engaging carnival while still allowing students to run the event.
"The whole goal is to make money for Make-A-Wish, but also make it engaging for the little siblings who are here on campus," Beals said.
Kids who attended the carnival had a photo opportunity with a fancy backdrop at the end, posing with Cedarville athletes as friendships were formed over hole-in-ones and fishing games.
Even the athletes competing that day sacrificed time in preparation and setup to put smiles on children's faces. No matter the size of the event, it demonstrates the character of Cedarville Athletics to use competition as a platform to serve others.
That Saturday afternoon, the gym became not only an arena for basketball, but for student-athletes, siblings and children to come together for a greater purpose than the game—partnering with Make-A-Wish to intentionally serve.