To the Editor:? As the board of STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, we were disappointed with the focus of Ben Podell’s May 2 article on the recent STAND fundraiser. We saw the article as an opportunity to spread further awareness about our recent initiatives and our general goal: stopping the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Instead, the article focused on a raffle that “lack[ed] success.” It is unfortunate that a five-day fundraiser that raised nearly $500 is thought of as a failure by The Phillipian. We had hoped that article would inform of our successes, rather than this misguidedly deemed failure. Since the article lacked information about STAND’s goals and the usage of the money, we believe it is appropriate now to explain both. First, STAND’s official goal is to empower “the global community [to be] willing and able to protect civilians from genocide and mass atrocities.” We fulfill this goal through advocacy work, which raises awareness about genocide, and through fundraising work that goes to Genocide Intervention Network’s “civilian protection program,” which helps protect refugees from the genocidal Janjaweed and from starvation. To date, Andover’s STAND chapter has raised upwards of $3,000. In Darfur, 15¢ can often purchase one meal. With more than 3,333 meals “raised” by last week’s fundraiser alone, and 20,000 “raised” since PA STAND’s inception, we must disagree with The Phillipian, and consider each dollar raised an enormous success. Additionally, STAND would like to thank everyone who donated during this fundraiser for helping save lives. The STAND Board III
