On The Spot Improv Club partners with Relay For Life While On The Spot shows are free of charge, this time the group suggests a donation of $3 or more to Relay For Life for attendees.
Bridgette Beasley, club member and sophomore in microbiology, said that although the shows are usually free, suggesting a donation to attend this show presents audience members with a special opportunity to help support a good cause.
“Our shows are always free, but this one is a little extra special,” Beasley said. “It’s so cool to kind of take what we do every single week and something that we just do for fun, and actually do it for a cause.”
According to Maureen Barry, club president and senior in economics, On The Spot has performed at Manhattan’s Relay For Life events for the past three years, putting on improv shows at around midnight or 1 a.m. each time to encourage Relay For Life walkers.
“Typically at that point, the walkers are a little tired, so we come in and do a little improv, try to jazz them up, keep them excited to keep going throughout the night,” Barry said.
The club already has a performance scheduled for the weekend of April 1-2, the same weekend as the Relay For Life event, which is why the group plans to dedicate tonight’s regular performance to Relay For Life, Barry said.
“We have had an annual philanthropy for Relay For Life because we’ve just had such a great experience working with them, and it’s a great cause,” Barry said.
Kennedy Burton, K-State’s Relay For Life fundraising co-chair and senior in life sciences, said joining forces with campus groups like On The Spot is a way to more closely link K-State students with the American Cancer Society’s cause.
“Any other type of organization that can really take the time to participate in a different organization’s philanthropy or event is really great because you’re getting a broader spectrum of people, and you’re reaching the K-State campus in a wider range,” Burton said.
According to Beasley, cancer awareness is a cause that is likely to mean something to a majority of K-State students, faculty, staff and Manhattan community members.
“I think something like cancer research and awareness just strikes home for a lot of people,” Beasley said.
