Kappa Alpha and the Muscular Dystrophy Association raised $25,000 for kids and adults diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, ALS and related muscular-debilitating diseases on Sept. 12 at the Lake Center.

Small and big businesses and community leaders within Wichita Falls went for the cause of donation. Kaleb Collins, marketing senior and Kappa Alpha president, said if there is any precedent for other fraternities to look at, do not exclude any donations.

“The biggest don’t is to not exclude anyone from a donation,” Collins said. “Whether it is a dollar or a thousand dollars, everything counts so include everyone.”

According to Collins, the biggest positive for a fundraiser to run efficiently is having more individuals who are willing to contribute.

“The biggest do for a fundraiser is get a team behind you. Get people that can be focused on a detail. As president, I can’t tell you how many things are going on when it comes to setting up a fundraiser. If I am able to have one person, a couple people or a dozen people, that goes a long way as opposed to doing everything by myself,” Collins said.

Nikki Garcia, development specialist at the Muscular Dystrophy Association, said students can raise awareness for people diagnosed with dystrophy by engaging with the community.

“There are many ways to be involved with the MDA,” Garcia said. “By participating in a community event you’re sure to find an activity.”

According to Garcia, there are two other ways to raise awareness – volunteering and hosting an event.

“Volunteers are the driving force that enables us to support the kids and adults we serve and hosting an event goes a longway to support a cause. With every message that is sent and every dollar that is received, lives are changed,” Garcia said.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is the national philanthropy for Kappa Alpha where both organizations cooperate with each other for at least one event a semester.

Jordan Nieto, radiology sophomoreand Kappa Alpha philanthropy, said he advised other organizations to look at this as a precedent to not procrastinate.

“Definitely take an event head-on as soon as you are told about an event regarding your fraternity,” Nieto said. “Don’t put it in the back burner and be like ‘I’ll get to it later’ because later becomes tomorrow. My view on procrastination is do everything the minute you could do it.”

This will not be the only fundraising activity from Kappa Alpha. According to Nieto, there will be another fundraiser this semester.

“There will be another fundraiser on Nov. 11 and it [the fundraiser] will be at Village Bowl,” Nieto said. “It is from six to nine and we encourage everyone to come out to the event. It doesn’t have to be students from Greek Life. We want everyone including faculty, and in the near future, there will be fliers put up about the fundraiser.”

Kappa Alpha will have a public relations shirt sale giving all proceeds to the Muscular Dystrophy Association starting Oct. 19.