The hunger-strike ends

Friends,

10-12 members of WSU ended its 25.5 hour hunger-strike/camp out fundraiser yesterday at 9:30 am. We raised $2,500 for Invisible Children, which was our end-goal for the event. I thought it pertinent to describe the feeling of hunger-striking, as many of you may never have had the experience.

The hunger-strike was formulated after I looked into the "fast for life" campaign championed by Mia Farrow and others and after extensive readings of Gandhi. I thought that the idea of a hunger-strike fundraiser- that participants wouldn't eat until a monetary goal was reached-was unique enough to be highly successful. I had faith that the local community couldn't bear to see several people go hungry, that they would donate for a respectable cause. I was right.
STAND's hunger-strike began at 8 am on September 2nd after a free breakfast courtesy of Cafe Villa Bella in Ogden. The ten or so participants then erected a gazebo, put up numerous signs and chairs, and hunkered down for a very long day/night. Our first donation was a remarkable $0.25-a magnanimous beginning to our fundraiser!! haha

As the blinding sun rose to its throne in the sky, we occupied ourselves by reading, facebooking, playing drums and starting at 12 pm, we had live music throughout the day- it helped make everything so much more tolerable. Acts like Brett Turner, Vaden Thurgood and Dr. Akombo serenaded us as we suffered hunger pangs, general vertigo and sun-fatigue. As the day progressed I became increasingly more hungry and lethargic-this was compounded by the fact that I have a noted blood-sugar problem. Despite these inconveniences, I was in a remarkably good mood. Every time someone donated it heartened me and I was surrounded by great company all day and night-yes, we camped at wsu! I was incredibly impressed with my fellow STAND members, they exhibited a lot of strength, resilience, and passion.

The apogee of the night was when Dr. Akombo and Vaden Thurgood played and the hunger-strikers danced and sung our food-deprived hearts out. Frankly, I was surprised that I had the energy to dance. More surprises came as donations continued to roll in and night fell on the campus- a fact which kept our hopes alive. By the time we fell to sleep we were some $270 away from our goal of $2,500. I awoke more hungry than ever before-weak, but happy. I helped take down the sound equipment and by 7 am I was up and ready to take donations. The STAND members and I complained together and tried desperately to get donations. We finally received the last $76 at approximately 9:30. We celebrated by toasting a smoothie and yelling loudly.

I hardly let me fist fall from the sky- I was jubilant. The event was a huge success as it generated media attention and the notice of thousands at WSU and beyond. I have more hope for STAND and the movement than ever before-2,000 was always the goal to break in a single event and we did it.

I ate my 1st meal with Lusi at Villa Bella- success never tasted so good.

I am energized(in mind) and ready to make the banquet a smashing success!

With immutable optimism,
Cameron