Pharmacy spaghetti feed, auction Feb. 23 to benefit ‘Make-A-Wish’ youth

In addition to long hours spent in classrooms, pharmacy laboratories and studying, ISU College of Pharmacy students find time to assist area residents each year through fundraising events.
Student members of the ISU Professional Pharmacy Student Alliance (PPSA) will hold the 14th annual Spaghetti Feed and Auction at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, in the Pond Student Union Building Ballroom. More than 30 percent of their $20,000 goal will benefit a Pocatello youth through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Idaho. The remainder will benefit PPSA professional development and community health-promotion projects.
Thomas is a 5-year-old boy who lives with Wilm’s tumor, a malignant cancer of the kidney that primarily affects young children. Thomas’ wish is to go to Disney World with his family during the March spring break. His mother, Jessica, is an ISU student, pursuing admission into the nursing program. Thomas has a younger brother and his father is a Pocatello police officer.
     The benefit includes a feast of Italian food, prepared by College of Pharmacy faculty, and an auction of various items and services donated by area businesses and faculty members.
“In an effort to reach our goal of raising $20,000 this year, PPSA students have taken the fundraiser online,” said Jacqueline Brown, chair of the event and second-year pharmacy student. “We have approximately 30 really exciting items available on no-risk consignment from our online auction vendor, cMarket.com. The online auction will run Feb. 2-22.”
“Adding a cMarket.com online auction hasn’t replaced our 13-year tradition of holding a live and silent auction, with raffles and our gourmet spaghetti feed,” Nancy Seroski, second-year student and co-chair, added, “We have just added a new dimension with new ways to get the word out, offer exciting auction items, and reach more supporters with our message.”
Additional information, including a catalog of auction items and ways to donate, is available at the online auction Web site ppsa.cmarket.com. The cost for the meal and benefit auction Feb. 23 is $5 per person, $15 per family, and double at the door to encourage the community to get their tickets early for planning purposes.
For ticket information or to donate items to the benefit auction, contact Brown or Seroski at sfra@pharmacy.isu.edu, or call (208) 282-4597.