Chelsey Goetz | Staff Writer

One Buena Vista University student was inspired to start a new group on campus called Campus Crew based on the new national non-profit organization, Love Your Melon. With many students joining forces with freshman, Ciera Fergen, BVU crew members are spreading the word about childhood cancer and the organization’s mission in the community.

To kick-off their campus campaign, they partnered with KBVU radio station to create Melodies for Melons, an awareness concert on March 10 at 8:00 P.M. in BVU’s Centennial Room for the public to learn more about Campus Crew, Love Your Melon, and childhood cancer.

Love Your Melon was founded by two Minnesota college students in 2012 when they came up with the idea of the buy-one, give-one model for children in the United States battling cancer. Customers can go to the website, purchase a hat, and in return the organization will give a hat to a child battling cancer. To spread the word about the campaign, Campus Crews were founded across the nation where student ambassadors educate their communities about the cause.

Fergen is the Love Your Melon crew captain for BVU. She heard about Campus Crew through her family’s experiences with the organization, and decided to start one here when she found out that BVU did not have one.

“We are currently working to promote that BVU has a Campus Crew, so when people go to purchase a hat, they can credit BVU. The more credits we earn as a crew, the more promotional type items we get as a crew. When we get 750 credits, we get to go on our first superhero trip,” Fergen said.

Superhero trips give student ambassadors the opportunity to dress up as superheroes, go to local hospitals, visit children battling cancer, and hand out hats. As BVU Campus Crew accumulates more credits, the more personal opportunities they get to have with helping children.

Sophomore, Alyssa Kragelund, joined Campus Crew when she heard about its mission through Fergen.

“I become interested in the organization because it is a really good opportunity for the community. It’s a good cause because we are helping kids with cancer,” Kragelund said.

When KBVU radio station heard about the BVU Campus Crew and their mission, they decided to collaborate with them to host an awareness concert called Melodies for Melons.

“KBVU thought it would be a good idea to use some of their network to bring in new people to make them aware of Love Your Melon. Sometimes we just get wrapped up with concerts and bringing entertainment, and we never really think about how we can use our network and to make an impact on the community,” Zach Schmidt, KBVU co-station manager said.

At the acoustic concert BVU junior, Kamron Warden, will warm up the crowd. Then local Indie-folk singer, Vanessa Ellsbury, will finish out the concert.

BVU students and the public can go to this free acoustic concert. Those attending can also learn how to credit BVU Campus Crew when purchasing an item from the organization’s website.

Photos by Dee Friesen