Pinky Swear PACK’s Turkey Trot Raises More Than $5,000

Virtual run, walk and bike event raises funds to help families with financial and emotional needs

Sacred Heart University’s Pinky Swear “PACK” (Pinky Swear Ambassadors on Campus for Kids with Cancer) raised more than $5,300 in its first Virtual Turkey Trot, “Trotting for a Treatment,” Nov. 23-27. The event raised money for the Pinky Swear Foundation, which provides financial and emotional support for children with cancer and their families.

When registration and fundraising opened Nov. 13, the club had publicized a $1,500 goal on its Turkey Trot webpage. Within three days, it had raised $1,700. The web page was updated with a $3,000 goal and, when that was surpassed, it was updated again to $4,000.

By the end of the Turkey Trot, 148 participants enlisted 189 donors, who brought the final tally to more than $5,300. Funds raised help support the mission of the Pinky Swear PACK on campus and their fight against pediatric cancer.

Participants were able to walk, run or bike a distance of their own choosing, within their own time frame, between Nov. 23 and 27. The longest single-day run commitment was 10 miles, and the longest five-day run commitment was 20 miles.

“We were completely blown away by all the support by different organizations on campus and the student body in general,” said Lindsey McCarthy ’21, communications major and president of Pinky Swear PACK at SHU. “It was extraordinary to see that we met our initial goal in the first three days.”

“It says a lot about the type of students who come to Sacred Heart,” said Patrick Lurgio ’23, finance major and vice president of Pinky Swear PACK.

Amanda Wagner, assistant director of transfer admissions and Pinky Swear PACK advisor, credits the club’s leadership and members for outstanding work. “The student leaders in the Pinky Swear PACK worked hard this semester to find the best ways to fundraise for the Pinky Swear Foundation. Their teamwork and determination are the main reasons behind this event’s success, exceeding their own expectations in donations and participants in the virtual Turkey Trot to wrap up a tough and unusual semester,” Wagner said.

The PACK worked closely with the office of fraternity & sorority life to promote the event to campus fraternities and sororities. Sorority Delta Zeta will receive a $150 award for having the highest percentage of member participation in the event.

Pinky Swear PACK

The Pinky Swear PACK program previously was known on campus as Love Your Melon, raising money and pediatric cancer awareness in partnership with the apparel company of the same name. With the pandemic this year, Love Your Melon discontinued its partnership with colleges to concentrate on serving children with cancer.

The 200-plus members of the campus club were determined to continue helping children. Working with the club’s eight-member executive board, they contacted organizations with the same devotion to pediatric cancer awareness and college students’ outreach programs. The Pinky Swear Foundation reached out and became a natural match.

“Our retention rate after we switched was incredible,” Lurgio said. “Everyone is still dedicated, coming to the bi-weekly Zoom meetings and ready to do whatever it takes for these kids.”

After Love Your Melon built its campus crew at SHU, students visited pediatric patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford. Club meetings often ended with time to hand-make cards for children in treatment.

“The parents come up to thank us and tell us what a difference we make,” said McCarthy. “They don’t realize that they also make a difference for us.”

“We fight over who gets to go,” Lurgio said about the in-person visits. (This part of the PACK experience is on hold for now.)

“We are so incredibly proud of the Pinky Swear PACK at Sacred Heart University,” said Frankie Behr, Pinky Swear Foundation’s student leadership manager. “Their creativity and innovation with their fundraising has been really inspiring to see and their efforts will be able to help so many families with a child battling cancer when they need it most – right now. We are so grateful.”

Bone Marrow Registry Swab Drives

One of the biggest events the club has had was its swab drive in February, collecting samples for Be The Match national bone marrow registry. Members collected 153 samples to add to the registry, the most successful swab drive to date.

“We use the drive to spread the message to people about pediatric cancer and what they can do to make a difference for these kids. Compared to campuses much larger than ours, we get a much higher turnout. Our school is so dedicated to helping everyone and so actively involved with one another that we were able to meet our swab goal in one day,” McCarthy said. “We couldn’t have such success with these events if it wasn’t for the SHU community.”

“This is what sold me on our school—the community,” said Lurgio.

In the spring, the club plans to run a virtual swab drive, for which they would distribute kits for students to take home and swab themselves, then send to Be The Match.

McCarthy only knew of Love Your Melon because of the hats she saw around campus. “When I went to my first meeting as a freshman transfer, I was overwhelmed by how committed, dedicated and engaged everyone was. It made me want to get more involved. I wouldn’t replace a single day I’ve had in this club for anything else. It has completely changed my life,” she said

Lurgio was drawn to the PACK members’ passion during the 2019 “Just SHU It” freshman involvement fair. “Everybody had these huge, huge, huge hearts and were so friendly,” he said. After his first meeting, “the rest was history. I’ve been exposed to and learned so much. I think what we have been able to do, and seeing what a big impact it has on kids with cancer and their families, makes a real difference. I build Pinky Swear stuff into every day.”

“I am immensely proud to be advising such a determined organization of selfless student leaders,” said Wagner. “Due to COVID-19, they’ve beaten challenges by thinking outside the box in order to spread awareness about pediatric cancer and fundraising for important charities that support the same mission.”

Upcoming Events

This past month, the PACK had a Ronald McDonald Wish List Drive, for which they collected monetary and toy donations. For the upcoming semester, Pinky Swear has set up Zoom calls that members can share with their All-Star Kids—children who are battling cancer—to maintain contact with them. There also will be a virtual gala in April, when everybody will dress up and party with the children online. “It’ll be different than the usual event, but it will still be really fun,” said McCarthy.

To be a part of upcoming Pinky Swear PACK events at SHU, visit their Facebook page.