ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – This week, the Bay College and Lake Superior State University Chapter of Business Professionals of America (BPA) is raising money for local Special Olympics athletes.
Now through Thursday, March 5, BPA students are hosting their annual Chain of Love fundraiser in the Escanaba campus HUB. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., fellow students, faculty, staff, and community members can donate a dollar to add a link to the growing paper chains.
“You can grab whatever color you want—we have pink, red, and white—and write the name of somebody you love and put it on the chain,” explained Bay College BPA Treasurer Haylee Gatien. “As we go through it and the chain gets longer, it just shows how much people care. It’s really special.”
The proceeds will help Area 1 Special Olympics purchase new uniforms and equipment. The money will also cover the travel expenses for games, including this weekend’s U.P. Regional Basketball Tournament, where the BPA will present the athletes with the completed chain and a check.
“It’s really cool because, if you look at the past pictures, the chain runs across the whole gym,” Gatien said. “It is really fun to go and watch and see everybody do what they enjoy doing. It allows them to experience new things and try out different things. By raising this money for them, it does allow them to have that experience. It’s very exciting for us.”
The BPA hopes to raise at least $450. Those who would like to donate virtually can do so via GoFundMe by clicking here. The Area 1 Special Olympics U.P. Regional Basketball Tournament begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 7, at Escanaba High School.
