By Aman Singh
More than 30 clubs and student organizations of New York University came together last week to organize a large-scale relief effort for South Asian tsunami victims.
They worked under the umbrella of a new organization, NYUnited, organized by two Tisch School of the Arts juniors and created to respond to such disasters through fundraising efforts.
The Relief Project was organized over four days, beginning with a Tisch School of Arts benefit Tsunami Relief Rock Concert kicking it off on Feb. 24, with performances by The District, Eren Cannata Band, The Rinse, Miko de Leon, Surefire, The Harlem Shakes, The Sexy Magazines, Paul Hammer, Jake Smith and Zach Berkman.
While the concert attracted students from outside N.Y.U. as well, the clear favorite and even better fundraiser was The Brain Bowl tournament held Feb. 25, in which teams of five, including faculty members, competed against other students and faculty members in a trivia game testing contestants on academic and youth-related issues.
On Feb. 27, N.Y.U. students hosted a Club Carnival, featuring booths with a ring toss, bottle toss, manicures and kissing booth. There were also performances by a capella groups and dance troupes as well as yoga classes and a charity poker tournament sponsored by Poker for a Cause.
The carnival, open to the public, with special tickets for students with ID, culminated on Feb. 28 with the Tsunami Relief Extravaganza. Performers included Braddigan of Dispatch, Def Jam Poets and Bjorkestra and more local artists doing comedy.
All proceeds will be channeled directly to Save The Children, a South Asian tsunami relief organization. Exact figures of funds raised were not available at press time.
