The Black Student Union and SGA hosted the Toy Ball kickoff event in the Student Center on Monday.
During the event, representatives from both organizations as well as other students drew Christmas-themed cards that will go with the toy donations the kids receive.
Toy Ball is an annual formal dance typically hosted by SGA’s Black Student Leadership Council around the end of November, focused on giving toys to children in need. This year, BSU will host the event alongside the SGA, which discontinued the Black Student Leadership Council in September.
The official Toy Ball this year will be Nov. 19 from 7-10 p.m. at Hotel Capstone and entrants must donate two toys to get in.
The toys themselves are then distributed in the following weeks to local schools and other youth organizations, like the Boys and Girls Club of West Alabama.
“Not only are we giving back, but we also are having fun, said Cameron Morgan, director of cultural competence for SGA and a member of BSU. “It basically allows us to loosen up before finals.”
Morgan said last year’s donations totaled around 600 toys, but this year organizers are aiming for 800.
This year, toy donations will be accompanied with a handmade card made by students at the kickoff.
“It really just makes the donations that we’re going to be giving them a little bit more personal, and it connects those children to who we are,” said Aubrei Grisaffe, SGA vice president for belonging and wellness. “So it’s not just this itemized gift that we’re handing out, but also we’re sending them a message: We care about you, we’re really excited for you, and we hope that you have a great Christmas.”
Grisaffe said the kickoff event was hosted in order to raise more awareness, as the SGA have struggled in past years with getting students aware of the Toy Ball beforehand.
Cameron Mitchell, a freshman business major, attended the event to draw cards to give to children in need.
“I think it’s important because there’s a lot that we can do here. We have so many resources, and I feel like it’s good to help people who don’t have the same resources,” Mitchell said. “I think we’re super blessed to be able to go here.”
In previous years, the Toy Ball was hosted by the SGA, and specifically by the Black Student Leadership Council. With the passing of Senate Bill 129 and the discontinuation of the Black Student Leadership Council, BSU is now co-hosting the event with the SGA.
Amiracus Brown, the vice president of BSU, said that SGA decided to let BSU co-host the Ball, as they’ve donated a large amount of time and toys in the past.
Brown said when the BSU was approached by SGA to help host, the organization happily accepted.
“It also will give us a chance to show that we might not have a physical space on this campus, but we’re still a very big presence,” Brown said. “We wanted to be able to show people that BSU is here to stay, and we have just as much influence and collaboration on this campus as someone like SGA.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated Nov. 6 to correctly state which organizations are hosting the event. The BSU is co-hosting the Toy Ball with the SGA, not hosting it alone. This story was further updated on Nov. 8 to correct an error regarding the SGA’s funding of the BSU. Like other registered student organizations, the BSU is eligible to receive FAC funding, and Senate Bill 129 did not restrict the BSU from getting FAC funding.
