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South Jordan Journal

Community Gathers at Fundraiser for Rape Recovery Center

Dec 08, 2015 01:17PM ● By Rachel Hall

By Rachel Hall

South Jordan - Members of Beta Theta Pi, a fraternity at the University of Utah, hosted a Blue Tie Gala benefitting the Rape Recovery Center (RRC) on Friday, Oct. 30 at Noah’s in South Jordan.

“The highlight of the evening would definitely be our wonderful keynote speaker, Elissa Wall. Her incredible story and experiences were greatly captivating and intensely emotional. Many of our guests connected with her story and realized the true importance of our work with the Rape Recovery Center,” Vincent Fu, vice-president of Beta Theta Pi internal programming and philanthropy, said. 

Beta Theta Pi first formed a relationship with the Rape Recovery Center over two years ago when actively searching for a new philanthropic cause to support at the time. What started out as a fundraising effort quickly grew into a movement for social change, according to Fu.

“Our chapter of Beta began hosting a sexual assault prevention forum series in an effort to support the RRC through on-campus activism as well as through financial means,” he said.

The Blue Tie Gala event concluded a weeklong fundraising effort by Beta Theta Pi, which resulted in over $10,800 being raised through a variety of activities.

“It is critical for college students to be active members of the community because of our great abilities and resources. We are a group of millennials who are in the prime of our lives. We can do a lot to help our community as individuals, but as a larger group of students we can enact a great deal of positive change and influence our peers and college community in such a large way,” Fu said. 

Every dollar raised at the gala will help fund the mission of the RRC, which is to empower victims of sexual violence through advocacy, crisis intervention and therapy, as well as educating the community about the cause, impact and prevention of sexual violence. 

“Beta Theta Pi is proud to contribute to the RRC not only through fundraising but also through a focus on all aspects of this mission – a goal that is accomplished through our sexual assault prevention forum series held twice a semester on the University of Utah campus,” Fu said.

Funds collected during the gala will be used by the RRC for numerous hospital response team call-outs, examinations and many sessions of therapy for individuals walking the path toward healing from sexual assault.

Other individuals can get involved with the RRC through financial donations, which are always appreciated at non-profit organizations, as well as through volunteering their time with the various services provided at the center. Volunteering on the 24-hour crisis line and helping to promote and advocate the center’s mission are a few examples of how to join in on the cause. 

“Although our main partnership is with the RRC, Beta also has positive relationships with the Center for Student Wellness at the University of Utah and with Students of the World, a national non-profit dedicated to enabling students to positively change their communities and universities,” Fu said.

After the success of the Blue Tie Gala, members of Beta Theta Pi aim to host a similar fundraising event every fall for years to come.

For more information about the Rape         Recovery Center, visit www.raperecoverycenter.com