by Emily Hollis

It was a battle of skill and sharp aim in the Hansen Center on April 3.

Not the sort with swords and shields, but the chucking of rubber balls as hard as you can.

All for a good cause, of course.

About 36 students—ranging from athletes to students who just want to throw something—showed up, paid $2 apiece and created six-player teams to participate in the “Dodge Ball for Italy” fundraiser, hosted by sophomore track athletes, Amy Boyer and Becky Boblett.

The fundraiser was for their summer mission trip to Italy, said Boyer, commuter activities assistant and psychology major.

Boblett said she helped lead the event by posting fliers, sending e-mails out to RAs and helping set up displays for the Italy mission trip. She was also referee.

Both Boblett and Boyer said the games were intense at times, but Boblett said she thinks, “Some people asked to do it again.”

“It’s something we enjoy,” Boyer said. “We figured it was something others would enjoy, too.”

The double-elimination tournament lasted just over an hour.

“The top two teams really got into it; they were really excited and pumped and cheering at each other,” Boyer said.

“The last play of the second to last game, one of the guys’ glasses got broken,” Boyer said. “I felt really bad! He was doing such a good job. He played the last half without glasses, but ended up losing.”

The winning team, called “The Four Guys” (which actually consisted of six guys: five from the CU track team and another student from Grand Rapids Community College), was scheduled to face a team of faculty for the championship round on April 17. But Julia Moore, who works for the Global Opportunities department, said it probably won’t happen, because of a shortage of players for both teams.

“We raised more money than we thought we [would],” Bolbett said. “The people who came to watch gave more donations too, so it was nice.”

Boyer also said she’s “hoping to do another at the end of the month, with more teams.”

The idea for the dodge ball tournament was a random idea by one of Bolbett’s friends, she said. Boyer said it was the first dodge ball event she ever held, and Boblett said, “Nobody’s really tried to do it as a fundraiser.”

The mission trip to Italy lasts two weeks, from June 1 to June 18.

“The first week is going to be working with friends of our team leaders, Julia and her husband, John Moore,” Boyer said. “They’re church planning, and we’re hoping to help with introducing them to the community.”

She said the following week will ensue with teaching English at a camp where they will teach English to kids through Bible stories, arts and games.

Boyer and Boblett said their excited to go, but funds still need to be raised. They said some ideas for other fundraisers include a silent auction for basket meals made by professors, bake sales with a downtown Meijer to get “the community involved in donating as well,” and massages.

“It’s very slow raising money,” Boyer said. “But we know God will provide.”