Wednesday, March 25 kicked off the Shoot For Success campaign, a collaboration between Washburn University and The United Way Foundation.

The event took place on the main level of the Memorial Union from noon-1:30 p.m. where students were encouraged to buy cookies or donate a book to the United Way Young Reader Leader program both for $1.50 each,  buy United Way t-shirts for $15 and face off against Washburn athletes volunteering in a game of Pop-a-Shot. In honor of Washburn University’s 150^th anniversary, the theme of the Shoot For Success campaign will be the number 150 over the following two and a half weeks of exciting events.  

All proceeds earned from the day’s event will be put toward funding projects which will benefit lower income communities better prepare their young children for school.

“We had more and more kids not ready for Kindergarten, which means they weren’t at grade level in the 4^th grade, they weren’t graduating from high school, and absolutely they were not making it to Washburn or Washburn Tech. They weren’t able to do that and we’re watching those numbers go up,” said Miriam Krehbiel of United Way.

“And because of everything you all are helping us do, we are changing the odds for those children. We are absolutely creating a different future for them with our multiple partners. They have books; they are getting high-quality childcare from the time they are born all the way until they go to Kindergarten. And those are the things you are helping us make a difference in.”

For more information about upcoming events and how you can aid any of United Way’s projects, visit https://www.unitedwaytopeka.org .