Love Your Melon is one of the newer organizations to Wright State's campus. It started with a simple interest from nursing student Addison Huizenga.
Love Your Melon has 740 organizations across the country within college campuses, working to improve lives of children with cancer. The profits from apparel sales go to children and their families. The goal of the organization is to put a hat on every child battling cancer.
Huizenga got the idea to start an organization at the university after becoming familiar with the cause on social media.
Huizenga said, “I was in one of my busiest semesters yet, fresh into nursing school, on the Wright State Dance Team, actively involved in my sorority and working 28 hours a week. But something was still missing. I began looking into how to bring Love Your Melon [to WSU].”
Within a few weeks of submitting the online form, she was president of the organization and holding the first meeting with others interested in joining.
The organization raises awareness about pediatric cancer, and promotes sales to benefit the cause online at loveyourmelon.org. With every purchase there is an option to credit the crew at Wright State.
“Each time our credit level raises, we have more opportunities to do donation events such as Ronald McDonald Homes and hospitals, along with visiting the children,” Huizenga said.
Love Your Melon holds tabling events, is involved with campus events and are currently collaborating with other organizations. Within the community, the organization works toward getting in contact with families who have a child battling cancer.
“Typically Love Your Melon wants us to settle with our crew and wait a little bit to establish as an organization,” Huizenga said. “We, however, hit the ground running.”
It took the organization about a semester to gain a place at the university, which Huizenga credits how they gained recognition across campus.
Love Your Melon takes part in small donations with one-on-one family visits and larger donations to charities, like hospitals.
There are currently 43 members. Those interested in getting involved in this organization can apply at the beginning of each semester. Huizenga has never had experience with pediatric cancer but she stated, “I never know the reason [for getting involved], besides it was something I was meant to do.”
There will be a tabling event on Feb. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
