By Erin Shanahan
Students bid on prizes and enjoyed some free food at RHA’s Benefit auction for The B+ Foundation. (Jack Brennan: The Fordham Ram)
This year’s first room selection spot was sold for a record price of $1,385 at the Residence Halls Association (RHA) Annual Benefit Auction for the B+ Foundation. The evening consisted of raffle contests in addition to the silent auction, raising a grand total of $7,833 for the B+ foundation.
The Benefit Auction made a grand total of $7,833 for the B+ foundation, or 12 percent of their total goal. As a whole, this brought Fordham’s RHA to about 56 percent of their total goal of $50,000.
This was the 22nd Annual Benefit Auction run by Fordham’s RHA. The B+ Foundation is an organization that operates to help children fight cancer.
The silent auction was orchestrated by Pierce Walsh, FCRH ’19. Other items bidded upon included two Under the Tent tickets, a 16 GB Apple iPad Mini 2 and two tickets to the Beyonce Formation World Tour.
Sarah Hill, GSB ’14, the former executive president of RHA and Jesus Leon, FCRH ’15, former executive programmer of RHA, purchased the two VIP Under the Tent Tickets for $90, which allow the holders to skip the lines on the night of the event.
An Apple iPad Mini 2 was sold for $265 to Jack Walsh, GSB ’19.
Jeremy Roberts, FCRH ’19, bid $200 and won a jersey autographed by Demarco Murray, a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League.
Beyonce Formation World Tour tickets were sold for $520 to Victor Riccio, FCRH ’19.
“I felt very excited and happy when I won,” Riccio said. “I also was contemplating if betting that much money was worth it but, I reminded myself it was for a good cause. The B+ foundation is an amazing organization and I was grateful that I was able to contribute to their cause.”
The first room selection spot for juniors went to Peter Conlin for $1,385. In addition, the first room spot for sophomores went to Clare Segota, Jenna Giordano, Cameron Kellett, Genevieve Longworth, Kerry Andrews and Gabrielle Rodriguez, all FCRH ’19, for $1,200.
In addition to the silent auction, more than 50 items were raffled off, including several themed baskets, 120 Ram Van passes and a Samsung Galaxy Tablet.
Three winners were awarded 40 Ram Van passes were awarded to over 150 contestants. The winners included Leah Chiaverini, FCRH ’18, and two other students. “I had a feeling I would win the Ram Van passes,” said Chiaverini. “I won them last year, so I didn’t think I would be so lucky to win them two years in a row!”
RHA President Tim Bouffard, FCRH ’16, and RHA Vice President Emma Baustert, FCRH ’17 organized the Benefit Auction with O’Hare RHA board member, Kelly Sullivan, FCRH ’18, not pictured. (Jack Brennan: The Fordham Ram)
RHA’s Fordham Dance Marathon on Feb. 27 will be the final philanthropy month event to take place this year.
B+ honors the life of Andrew McDonough, who died at the age of 14 in 2007. According to the B+ Foundation website, “Andrew’s B+ blood type became his family’s and friends’ motto throughout his fight against childhood cancer — to ‘Be Positive.’”
The organization raises money to provide support to families of children with cancer nationwide. Childhood cancer research is also funded by the B+ Foundation.
