Date auction raises money for new UMTV show

If students were in search of a great guy or girl to take for a night on the town, they just may have gotten lucky at the date auction organized and produced by Canes Gone Crazy this week at the Rat.
“Canes Gone Crazy is a high energy, high impact show for kids that want to go crazy but don’t want to leave their room,” Aaron Zippin, executive producer of Canes Gone Crazy, said. “The goal for tonight is for all of us to go on fantastic dates and for us to make some money, but mostly just to have fun.”
Zippin was the first to be auctioned on the docket.
The auction served as the first fundraising event for the new program.
Jason Kerepesi, the announcer for the auction, was optimistic about the evening and the role he was to play in auctioning off dating volunteers.
“I’m going to be describing the people and the dates and poke fun at them at the same time as only I can,” said Kerepesi. “Hopefully we can raise some money for this wonderful show.”
“We wanted to do something really ‘college’ – something really young,” Katie Brown, executive producer for the show, said. “I feel like it’s a good thing for our show – I’m all for having a good time.”
Brown was also up for bids.
As the lights went down and the bids went up, girls and guys were given the opportunity to strut their stuff on stage while Kerepesi provided information about them from note cards they had written.
The participants did everything they could to hype the crowd. One student even stripped down to his underwear.
Throughout the event, auction volunteers waited eagerly for their moment to shine and raise money for a good cause.
“I’m a little nervous. It has the potential to be a great time but it could also be a horrible disaster,” said freshman Rob Vitolo, who is a host and camera man for Canes Gone Crazy. “It’s an interesting way to raise money that fits with the people in our show – a different way to attract people.”
“I feel a little prostituted, but I don’t really mind,” freshman Joel Scagnelli, a cameraman for Canes Gone Crazy who was also preparing to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, said.
Scagnelli even convinced his friend, freshman Gina Farinhas, to participate in the auction. Farinhas had only come as moral support, but then decided to be auctioned off as well.
“Canes Gone Crazy is a good show and anything to make money for it is a good thing,” Farinhas said.
Among the lively variety of datable auction participants was the Party Pack, a collection of five guys who would be sold as a group to the highest bidder: Anthony Biase, Pete Hagen, Kyle Griffith, Mathew Ruttkay and James Wilson got together as a group to support the program.
“It’s a good opportunity for girls to take us out on dates,” Biase said.
“They called me out of bed,” Griffith said. “I feel like a sex object.”
The highest bidder for the Party Pack won a date with all five of the UM bachelors.
In the audience, friends of those auctioned-off voiced their support.
“I think it’s a good, creative way for an organization on campus to raise money for itself,” said Mike Diccicca, sophomore.
“I think it’s kind of cool, because as another organization on campus, we’ve done some fundraising things and it’s good to see what other people do,” Aric Bickel, sophomore, said.
After all bids were down and all parties accounted for, the producers extended their appreciation to all those who came to support their fellow ‘Canes.
“Our main goal was to have fun, and it went the best way we ever thought it would,” Zippen said.
Canes Gone Crazy is looking forward to another energy-packed fundraiser to be held in the beginning of April called the “Duct Tape Fashion Show.”
Students can register as teams and will have to design costumes for one team model using only duct tape and scissors. The best outfit will win a grand prize with smaller prizes for runners up.
“I can’t tell you what the prize is, but it will be well worth the time,” Brown said.
Canes Gone Crazy airs every Wednesday and Friday night at 7:30 p.m. on the College Television Network.

For more information, visit www.canesgonecrazy.com.

Whitney Friedrich can be contacted at Witz615@aol.com