Fourteen cities and states have declared Oct. 22 “Love Your Melon Day” in honor of the nonprofit that St. Thomas seniors Brian Keller and Zachary Quinn founded in an entrepreneurship class in 2012.
Love Your Melon aims to “raise awareness for childhood cancer and promote the importance of therapeutic treatment programs,” according to the nonprofit’s website. For every hat that is sold, another hat is donated to a child battling cancer.
The organization handed out wristbands and sold the organization’s signature hats in front of the Anderson Student Center Wednesday.
“It’s a very proud moment for us,” said senior Alex Titze, who has been involved with Love Your Melon since the beginning. “It’s also a big symbol for how much we’ve grown over the last three years.
That growth includes a pair of cross-country tours, a college ambassador program and an expanded selection of caps and scarves.
Sophomore Salman Irfanullah, who bought a winter cap during Wednesday’s event, said Love Your Melon’s growth is a good thing because it will allow the non-profit to help more people.
Junior Michelle Rash agreed.
“I know they’ve gotten a lot of national publicity, and it’s a great cause,” Rash said. “It’s really good just to see that presence on campus.”
Junior Alex DeMarais, who was selling hats Wednesday, said the day’s goal was to get everyone involved.
“Every hat sold is one given, and that makes all the difference,” DeMarais said. “Everyone can make a difference for the kids in the hospital.”
Love Your Melon is a great foundation and business. The tweet that caught my interest about this story didn’t quite make sense. It said fourteen cities and states. Does that mean one city in each state? Also, the story is missing where Love Your Melon is being celebrated. Assuming St. Paul? Otherwise, good work!