Foundation raises record amount of money during eighth annual phonathon

A record amount of money was donated during the eighth annual phonathon held Feb. 6-9 and sponsored by the LSMSA Foundation.

The event raised more than $94,800, the most in the phonathon’s history. Gifts came from 460 individual donors, nearly 19 percent of which were first-time donors to LSMSA.

Sixty-four unique student volunteers completed nearly 4,000 phone calls to parents, alumni and other friends of LSMSA to seek their support. Additionally, a small group of four alumni volunteers in Houston and Seattle made coordinated phone calls to alumni friends to help raise funds.

“I participated in phonathon because I am always looking for ways to help the school,” said Juliet Flanagan, a sophomore from Pearl River. “I ended up loving phonathon because of all the sweet alumni I got to speak to. I didn’t realize LSMSA alums were all over the country.”

Kiara Padilla, a junior from Fort Polk, volunteered to help with the phonathon because she thought it seemed like a cool way to step out of her comfort zone and raise money for her school.

“I enjoyed talking to people on the phone and getting to know them,” said Padilla. “I also enjoyed seeing, with my own eyes, how much people really support LSMSA. Some donations were small, some were large, but it was good seeing that regardless of the amount, it all made a difference and helped us smash our goal.”

By the end of Thursday, Feb. 9, the total raised was a little more than $90,000. By Friday, Feb. 10, additional donations had come in that raised the total to $92,000. And by Monday, Feb. 13, that number had risen to $94,800.

That number is expected to continue to rise slightly over the next few weeks as more donors go online to make late gifts or mail in checks.

“The LSMSA Foundation’s phonathon is not only the most critical fundraiser of the year, it has also turned into quite a fun event for our school,” said Katja Thomakos, executive director of the Foundation. “We had alumni literally sitting by their phones waiting for their call this year. They took to social media to post about their experiences talking with current students or alumni friends and were thrilled to see so much money being raised in support of their alma mater.”

Gifts from the phonathon are intended for the Foundation’s annual fund. The annual fund provides support to LSMSA where and when it needs it most. Examples of recent annual fund support to LSMSA include new and replacement textbooks, athletic equipment, costumes and set materials for theatrical and dance productions, scientific equipment and mathematics supplies.

Other student volunteers included Caroline Adkins, a sophomore from Shreveport; Varun Amin, a senior from Lake Charles; Milan Arpino, a senior from Monroe; Maya Bochas, a senior from Morgan City; Abbie Boudreaux, a senior from Baton Rouge; Janie Bourgeois, a senior from LaPlace; Karly Brown, a senior from Baton Rouge; Alexis Cambridge, a senior from Slidell; Marlies Carter, a sophomore from Madisonville; Lenora Davis, a senior from Covington; Kerry Doyle, a junior from Eros; Grace Dumdaw, a senior from Mandeville; Kennedy Ellender, a senior from Westlake; Edouard Ferrell, a junior from Natchitoches; Chance Foret, a senior from Addis; Caitlin Foster, a junior from LaPlace; Jeralyn Foy, a sophomore from Winnsboro; Alexis Fuselier, a senior from Walker; Sarah Green, a junior from Houma; Karleigh Gwyn, a senior from Denham Springs; Samantha Hernandez, a junior from Slidell; Camren Hohn, a sophomore from Iowa; Bryce Istre, a senior from Egan; Veronica Jimenez, a senior from Bogalusa; Caroline Jin, a junior from Shreveport; Ruby Kharod, a junior from Opelousas; Corey King, a senior from Hammond; Bryson Landry, a junior from Franklin; Song Le Jeune, a sophomore from Metairie; Claire Leming, a senior from St. Francisville; Michael Mayeux, a senior from Natchitoches; Rachel Mendoza, a senior from Slidell; Kelsey Meshell, a senior from Bossier City; Emma Miller, a junior from Meraux; Hannah Miller, a junior from Baton Rouge; Caitlyn Morrison, a junior from Gloster; Bryce Moulton, a junior from Natchitoches; Shemya Mozeke, a junior from Homer; Aagrika Neupane, a senior from Lake Charles; Alena Noakes, a junior from Dry Prong; Ishika Patel, a sophomore from Many; Sidney Paulk, a senior from Deville; Morgan Phelps, a sophomore from Baton Rouge; Adreanna Queen, a junior from Natchitoches; Lauren Rains, a junior from Zachary; Lucy Rhymes, a senior from Breaux Bridge; Hannah Rice, a junior from Mandeville; Sofia Rivera, a junior from Covington; Charles Roppolo, a junior from Denham Springs; Avaion Ruth, a sophomore from Brusly; Courtney Sanders, a senior from Denham Springs; Mei Scott, a sophomore from Shreveport; Colin Serigne, a sophomore from Cut Off; Rosemarie Skillman, a sophomore from Denham Springs; Jordan Smith, a sophomore from Geismar; Victoria Sosa, a sophomore from Lake Charles; Mary Edna Tanksley, a junior from Lake Providence; Sterling Trafford, a senior from Lake Charles; Nathan Ward, a junior from Anacoco; Diamond Wilson, a sophomore from Natchitoches; Samantha Wright, a junior from Crowley; and Gabrielle Yoes-Favrot, a senior from Gonzales.