THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20. 2014
PAGE 9D
FOOTBALL
University to host 'Proud to Be a Jayhawk' tailgate
University students tailgate at a house near the stadium before a football game against McNeese State on Sept. 3, 2011. The annual "Proud to Be a Jayhawk" tailgate supports Kansas football and provides funds to chosen beneficiaries across campus.
ALLISON CRIST
@AllisonCristUDK
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
With football season approaching, preparation for the annual "Proud to Be a Jayhawk" fundraiser has begun.
Despite its recurrence, many are unaware of the real purpose of this event.
Charlie Persinger, director of University Ceremonies and Special Events, said the "Proud to Be a Jayhawk" title focuses on fans attending and supporting the football team at games. The main objective of the fundraiser is to provide a fun and beneficial way to support groups associated with the University.
In order to accomplish both of these goals, fans are invited to picnic and tailgate around Memorial Stadium.
Funds are collected through Kansas Athletics from the sale of football programs and later dispersed to the chosen beneficiaries.
In the past years, some of these recipients have included the Marching Jayhawks, the Mi Familia Program, Global Awareness Program, Center for Community Outreach and the Center for Sustainability.
Last year's beneficiaries were the Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic for the School of Law and The Big Event.
Katie Cronin is a clinical associate professor of law and works with the Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic. She said the MLP Clinic received $2,650 in proceeds from last year's tailgate. The funds collected helped low-income Kansans receive free legal services as part of their
comprehensive health care.
comprehensive health care.
"Fundraises like the 'Proud to Be a Jayhawk' tailgate are critical to allowing the MLP Clinic to its clients and provide these educational opportunities to law students," Cronin said.
The 2014 recipients have already been selected and will be announced via press release by KU News closer to the first game Sept. 6 when the Jayhawks will take on Southeast Missouri at
Memorial Stadium.
Promoting safe tailgating is another objective of the event. To do so, a set of rules is incorporated for the event, according to Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director.
He said there is no tolerance for underage drinking or disorderly or unlawful conduct. Additionally, fans are not allowed to tailgate with alcohol during game time or have alcohol containers
with a capacity greater than one gallon in the designated areas. Finally, fans may not bring alcohol into Memorial Stadium.
Kansas Athletics also provides portable toilets, burn buckets to discard hot coals, and free shuttle buses to travel between designated tailgating areas and Memorial Stadium.
These designated areas only allow fans 21 and older to tailgate. People may
drink alcohol only during the specified three-hour tailgating period before kickoff and during halftime. The event's organizers will release specific information regarding shuttle buses, parking and transit when they announce this year's beneficiaries.
Once it's time for the first kickoff, there will be plenty of other activities similar to the "Proud to Be a Jayhawk" fundraiser
for fans to participate in, courtesy of the Office of KU Athletics Marketing and Fan Experience.
"They do an outstanding job of providing some great activities for families that arrive early to games while tailgating," Persinger said.
For this year's football schedule and more information, visit http:// www.kuathletics.com/.
Edited by Madison Schultz
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