Students at Monmouth University
make a big donation to Adam and Dana Puharic's foundation.
Dana and Adam founded Michael's Feat in memory of their son Michael,
who passed away 83 hours after birth due to a chromosomal disorder.
Michael's Feat supports parents and enables them to bring their ill
children home. Adam is a member of our Rotary Club.
AN AMAZING FEAT
Student organization to hold charity auction
BY LAURA LEDDY TURNER
STAFF WRITER
The Student Government Association of
Monmouth University, West Long Branch, hopes to add to the nearly
$10,000 in funds it has raised to date for seriously ill children
when the group hosts its sixth annual charity auction at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday in the university's Anacon Hall.
Proceeds from the auction benefit the Michael
Gerard Puharic Memorial Foundation, also known as Michael's Feat.
The foundation is a local nonprofit organization formed to ease the
burden of parents with seriously ill children. Founded by Adam and
Dana Puharic of Aberdeen in memory of their son Michael, who passed
away 83 hours after birth due to a chromosomal disorder, Michael's
Feat supports parents and enables them to bring their ill children
home.
Vaughn Clay, the university's director of
off-campus and commuter services and an adviser for the Student
Government Association, said a diverse group of between 75 and 100
people is expected to attend the charity auction.
"We usually get a healthy mix," said Clay,
who is a resident of the Wanamassa section of Ocean Township. "We
have community members come out for it, university employees, staff,
administrators and, of course, the students."
Vaughn said Michael's Feat is the charity
Monmouth University's SGA has chosen to work with for the past six
years. Last year the association raised $1,800 for the foundation
through the charity auction, Vaughn said.
"The association itself organizes the event,"
Vaughn said. "All the (student) senators play a role in collecting
donations."
This year's auction prizes include dining
gift certificates, athletic event tickets, salon services and sports
memorabilia.
"We auction off a lot of things that are
geared toward students," said auction Chairwoman Megan Canavan, a
junior at the university. "There's gift certificates to their
favorite food places, things like that. In the past, we've auctioned
off a parking space and we may be doing that again."
Canavan said SGA members used a slightly
different approach this year in seeking donations for the auction.
"We send a letter out to businesses and
people in the community asking for donations and this year we
included more information about Michael's Feat with the letter. The
information told people that it was a local organization and gave
the Web site. I think it helps people when they know an organization
is local. I think it improves the response we get. And we also had
some people who said, "You know, I know someone who could use some
help from a group like this.' So giving out the information really
benefits everyone."
Asked how she felt about the SGA's support of
Michael's Feat, Dana Puharic said she is "amazed" by it all.
"It's incredible to see these college
students coming together to support Michael's Feat," Puharic said.
"We're so grateful."
Puharic said Michael's Feat was first
introduced to SGA members through Devon Gottschalk, a former
volunteer for the foundation and a past president of the SGA.
"She was the one who managed to get us on the
list of charities the student government was looking at back then to
help," Puharic said. "And they chose us."
The foundation is in the process of designing
a family respite/resource center for parents with seriously ill
infants at the neonatal intensive care unit at Monmouth Medical
Center in Long Branch. The center will provide a resource library, a
comfortable resting area for families of NICU patients, and a
playroom area for siblings.
"I really applaud these students and their
efforts to do something for their community," Puharic said. "What
more could a charity ask for than to have an event organized for
them where they don't have to do a thing? And the money they've
given us is substantial. They're really helping us. They're helping
newborn babies."
Anacon Hall is on the Monmouth University
campus in West Long Branch. The auction is open to the public and
admission is free. Light refreshments will be served.
