Members of the University of Miami’s chapter of the Psi Chi International Honor Society held its annual tie-dye event on the Foote Green from Oct. 27-28. Psi Chi is an honor society for psychology majors.
The Psi Chi Tie-Dye event is a tongue-twister that benefits a good cause. Students hoped that the event would help to raise both money and awareness for Alzheimer’s research. Participants paid a flat rate of $5 ($3 if they brought their own shirt) for a T-shirt, an expert tie-dying lesson and all the supplies necessary to make their shirts unique and colorful. Designs ranged from spirited orange and green game day shirts to bright rainbow workout tees.
Last year’s Psi Chi Tie-Dye event raised more than $2,000 to benefit Alzheimer’s awareness and research by fundraising and selling 50 shirts. Earlier this year, Psi Chi hoped to beat last year’s record by raising more than $2,500.
Members have already surpassed their goal by raising more than $2,900 to date. They are projecting this year’s proceeds to be greater than $3,000. Psi Chi members are expecting 50 to 60 people to tie dye shirts this year in addition to outside donations.
Psi Chi’s Philanthropy Chair and senior psychology major Nicole Foster expanded on the society’s goals for the immediate future.
“This year we’re actually hoping to do not only the Tie-Dye but also a volunteering experience as well,” she said. “We would go out to hospitals and nursing homes around the area where members can spend time with actual Alzheimer’s patients so you can see where the money is going and who all of the care and support is actually affecting.”
Julia Janecki, neuroscience major and peer mentoring liaison for Psi Chi, explained the event and the impact it has on the Miami community.
“The Psi Chi Tie-Dye is part of our semester of philanthropy where we raise money for the organization Hilarity for Charity, which benefits the Alzheimer’s Association,” she said.
Hilarity for Charity is a movement led by comedian Seth Rogen. Rogen hopes to influence the millennial generation to take action against Alzheimer’s disease by raising awareness through his comedy. The organization believes that Alzheimer’s isn’t just something to worry about when you get old and encourages college students to have fun while raising awareness of a great cause.
The organization’s sponsors include stand-up comedians Aziz Ansari, Amy Schumer, James Franco and Miley Cyrus. According to Hilarity for Charity’s official website, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.