'Helping others is part of Tulane culture'
Tulane senior Kendall Glazer watched her idea for a small fundraiser blossom into a big night of live music, great food and an emotional meeting with the family of injured Tulane football player Devon Walker.
Tulane students volunteer to make the fundraiser for Devon Walker a success. From left are (back row), Madeleine Kahan, Spenser Barnett, Kendall Glazer, Jesse Schwartz, Brad Girson, Amy Arnow and Katie Gertler, and (front) Rebecca Friedman, Jillian Goldberg and Samantha Wolff. (Photo by Sally Asher)
Hosted by Mardi Gras World, the event on Thursday (Sept. 27) came together in just one week and resulted in about 500 guests and more than $21,000 in donations for the Devon Walker Fund.
Her idea was set into motion after seeing friends Jesse Schwartz and Brad Girson start a T-shirt campaign using Walker's football number No. 18. Their T-shirts were also available for purchase Thursday evening.
Glazer says she became motivated to do something that would not only include students, but the community as well.
“I spoke to Barry Kern at Mardi Gras World and told him my idea. He was immediately on board and ready to help in any way possible,” says Glazer, who also designed No. 18 bracelets through her Stony Clover Lane jewelry line that she owns with her sister, Libby. “Once Mardi Gras World put out their press release about the event, people started calling in to help and the event continued to grow.”
She knew that students would support the event because “helping others is part of Tulane's culture.” But the support that poured in from outside the university was nothing short of “amazing.”
“I couldn't have done this without the support of my friends who are all Tulane students,” says Glazer. “They were there as volunteers and helped to collect donations at the door.”
On the morning following the fundraiser, which featured prizes, auctions and food from some of the city's top restaurants, Glazer was thrilled that donations were still coming in.
As for the best part of the evening, she says it was meeting Walker's family.
“It was so great to have them there since so many of the students rallying behind Devon didn't really know him personally,” says Glazer. “They were so appreciative of everything.”
