The U of T Engineering Society took on a charitable cause in the midst of orientation with the fourth annual Frosh Week Buskerfest. The midafternoon showcase of talents was an effort to raise awareness and funds for the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation of Canada, a charitable organization dedicated to providing support and entertainment for sick children and their families.
The engineers divided themselves into 16 groups and spread out across the perimeter of campus, where they proceeded to draw as much attention as possible in the name of their cause. Among the eclectic mix of displays were human pyramids, bucket percussion bands, people taped to traffic poles, jugglers, a trio of trumpeters and a chain gang of pants droppers.
“We’ll do anything for pennies,” said second-year frosh leader Ke Lu. “It’s always a good cause and people are always enthusiastic.”
Starlight Starbright is incredibly pleased and grateful with the collaboration. “Because we’re a lower key organization we don’t get a lot of exposure, so this is great,” said Tammy Dean, the charity’s community events coordinator. She went on to extol the engineers’ “incredible enthusiasm and creativity.”
Aside from the fun and games, Buskerfest brought much public attention to the SSCFC.
Over the past four years, the Engineering Society has not only helped the SSCFC make a name for themselves in the U of T community, but has also raised over $15,000 to help SSCFC finance playrooms, family events and outings, educational programming and technology based programs.
Casting a darker note on the afternoon’s good intentions, many students were told by police to move from their street corners because they were being too disruptive. The engineers didn’t seem fazed by these roadblocks, and with each street corner raising anywhere between $200 and $500, it’s safe call Frosh Week Buskerfest 2007 a worthy success.
