For the fifth consecutive year, Baker University students gathered Friday for the annual Up ‘til Dawn event to help raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“I got involved with it my freshman year,” senior Lauren Amrein said. “I was really interested in it and wanted to be on the other side of it, being on the executive board to help plan such a great event for a great cause.”

The event started out with a letter-writing campaign in which students were asked to bring 50 addresses that would give them a chance to win a $200 dollar gift card. If students brought in 20 addresses they could enter into one raffle drawing and if they brought in 25 addresses, they could enter into two raffles. While writing letters, the students had the opportunity to snack, sing along with the disc jockeys and win prizes by doing team chants or busting out dance moves.

“This event definitely means a lot to me and has become huge on campus,” Amrein said. “It’s surprising to me that we are such a small campus, but can raise over $10,000 for a good cause.”

Sarah Burrichter, a 9-year-old St. Jude patient who has been battling cancer for the last five years, and her mother, Kristine, came to speak at the event.

“Sarah was so cute and so much fun,” junior Kaedy Turner said. “It was so neat and interesting to see how St. Jude has made a difference to them and seeing all that she has overcome.”

Each student who participated in the letter-writing event was also invited to attend the after party. This year the Up ‘til Dawn executive board teamed up with Student Activities Council to bring in magician Matt Franco.

“I met the Student Activities Council at a conference and really got to know them,” Franco said. “They said they had me in mind for this event and I thought ‘why not.’ I was all about it. I thought it was something I would want to be a part of.”

Franco filled Collins Center with laughter and embarrassment, giving the event a different spin from previous years. Along with Franco, there were inflatables, mounds of snacks, a photo booth and prizes to be won every 30 minutes.

“Last year, we sent out about 2,000 letters and raised $11,000,” Amrein said. “This is such a huge event and we really admire how everyone, not just one organization, comes together to help.”

The Up ‘til Dawn executive board hoped to raise $15,000. However, it won’t know the exact total until April or May.