East Tennessean

Issue date: 3/23/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Travis Brown Amanda Mitchell, "roadie" for Invisible Children, speaks to a group of students in the amphitheater at Friday's benefit concert which raised approximately $500 for war-torn Uganda. [Click to enlarge]

Invisible Children, an organization that works to raise awareness and help the victims of war-torn Uganda, has taken root on ETSU's campus over the past year with the hard work of students like Rachael Fleetwood.
Fleetwood, as well as several other ETSU students, have become a part of Invisible Children's "Schools for Schools" program that helps raise money and awareness for the cause.
On Friday, the group held a benefit concert and book drive in the Amphitheatre with the help of Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) and the Phi Sigma Pi fraternity. More than 100 students gathered to show their support and learn more about what is going on in Uganda.
Local bands Brosif Motif, Brad Blackwell, the Go Devils and Chris Dula all performed at the event. Invisible Children films were also shown to help everyone get a better understanding of what is going on.
"What Invisible Children is doing on campus is creating a deep spirit of activism and awareness among the student body," said public relations major Ross Parmly. "It's really quite incredible."
Overall, Fleetwood estimates that the group raised $500 for Invisible Children by selling raffle tickets and getting private donations. "I didn't expect this many people to come," said Fleetwood. "It's going really well."
Many students in the audience had never heard of Invisible Children before, but wanted to find out what it was all about.
"It's really sad - I'd like to be involved," said freshman Brittanie Oullette. "Makes me want to do something."
"It definitely gave me a new world view, especially of Africa," said senior Megan Singleton who would like to go to Uganda someday.
For more information, contact Rachael Fleetwood at zkrf15@goldmail.etsu.edu.

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