As part of the UC Friday events series, last week the Asian Students Association (ASA) hosted a dessert festival in Kirr and Wean Commons. In conjunction with the Carnegie Mellon Aid and Relief Effort (CARE, formerly Operation K.A.R.E.) and with the help of many other student organizations, ASA plans to donate all of the profits from the Dessert Festival to Hurricane Katrina relief funds. Overall, the Dessert Festival raised approximately $300 for hurricane relief.

"We were going to have this event for our [ASA's] benefit," said Kristen Hwang, CARE fundraising point person and ASA president. "Then I got really involved with CARE and I thought, 'why not?'"

About 15 organizations set up tables at ASA's Dessert Festival, all offering a variety of different foods and beverages. Although many of the organizations at the Dessert Festival were Asian-interest, other cultural organizations such as SALSA and the International Student Union also had tables at the event.

"We wanted to stray away from asking only Asian organizations," said Hwang. "We just went all out asking everybody."

 "[ASA] decided to open it to anyone wanted to help the CARE cause," said Roman Ivey, HSS senior and SPIRIT president. Students working at the SPIRIT table encouraged others to come to their booth by yelling, "We have milk!" at those passing by.

Organizations set their own sale prices for their desserts, and ASA offered to reimburse all of the organizations for the cost of dessert ingredients. To keep the cost of ingredients low and the profits high, organizations made fairly simple, though still tasty, desserts.

"Is there anything else in [our dessert] besides green beans?" CFA junior Stacey Chu asked Annie Liu, HSS junior and fellow Taiwanese Student Association member.

"Sugar… water…" Liu replied with a laugh.

CARE itself manned a table selling cookies. Although CARE will be redistributing the money that ASA raised at the Dessert Festival, the organizations will work together to decide where the funding goes.

"Giving money only does so much," said Nolan Kurtz, CIT first-year and one of CARE's community service point people.

In addition to raising money for charity, student organizations took the opportunity to advertise their presence on campus.

"We're using this to get our name out," said Arthur Goh, CIT graduate student and Budaya member. Budaya, the Malaysian cultural organization, offered sticky rice with coconut jam and "black rice," a kind of sweet porridge. Budaya hosted its own food festival Friday, October 14 in Merson Courtyard.

	story images

At the ASA/CARE Dessert Festival, tasty treats are on sale to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina.	ASA members get ready to sell their desserts-for-charity to students coming through the University Center.
A member of the Black Graduate Student Organization (BGSO) prepares cookies, brownies, and other desserts to go on sale.	ASA members try to pour an equal amount of smoothie into each of the cups.
Kappa Phi Lambda members sell Korean rice cakes at the Dessert Festival, and one student tries a bite.	Students crowd around ASA's table at their Dessert Festival in Kirr and Wean Commons.

 talkback to the pulse