UGA H.E.R.O. Date Auction

Glitter-rimmed glasses, green silk robes and blinking leprechaun hats decorated members of the high-spirited crowd at the Georgia Theater on Tuesday March 17, 2009, in Athens, GA. More than 300 students came together to celebrate St. Patty’s Day and support UGA H.E.R.O’s Date Auction fundraiser.
Hearts Everywhere Reaching Out is a nonprofit student organization that helps some of more than 12,000 children in Georgia who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The UGA chapter, H.E.R.O. for Children, Inc. was founded by UGA graduates, Ryan Gembala and Garrett Gravesen. According to the UGA H.E.R.O. website, http://ugaheros.org/, H.E.R.O. for Children, Inc. is currently the only organization designed to improve the life quality of those it distresses.
Many took the stage Tuesday to strut their stuff for bids, beginning with two H.E.R.O Executive Board members dressed as Rhianna and Chris Brown lookalikes, resulting in bids totaling $550. Dates with fraternity and sorority representatives and athletes were also auctioned. Some took the stage with timidity while others gave energetic performances, eliciting cheers and laughter from the crowd. Alan Pryor, representing Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, choreographed a dance for the occasion that resulted in a massive uproar and a shirtless Pryor.
Spirits were high among participants and onlookers alike. Emily Doyle, a fourth year student of Atlanta, GA, commended the efforts of H.E.R.O. and acknowledged the heavy turnout of the evening, as she was in attendance to support the participants and the cause.
“H.E.R.O. is such a great organization,” Doyle said. “I have been in a sorority for the past four years and we have heavily supported it.”
H.E.R.O. Promotions and Marketing Chair Kate Larson introduced each participant with a brief summary of their hobbies, likes and dislikes, and frequently gave away prizes such as gift certificates to Papa John’s Pizza and Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. Bids often had to happen twice as hands continually raised in the dimly lit theater.
“The energy in the Theater was awesome the entire night and I could feel it all the way on the stage,” Larson said. “All the money is going to help provide quality of life care for children in Georgia who are affected with or infected by HIV/AIDs and it was great seeing college students get so pumped about such an amazing cause.”
Bidding escalated throughout the auction as Delta Zeta member Lisa Donachie raised $1,300 and Kappa Alpha Theta member Caroline Willis raised $1,400. Altogether, the auction accumulated over $7,000 in funds raised for donation to H.E.R.O. for the Children, Inc.
As the last auctionee was escorted off stage, a warm thank you was spoken for the overwhelming support of H.E.R.O. The green-wearing audience gave a quick round of applause before heading right to the bar to resume their St. Patty’s Day celebration.

This is a brief clip of an interview with UGA forth year, Emily Doyle, 22, who was in attendance at the UGA H.E.R.O. Date Auction at the Georgia Theater in downtown Athens, Ga. on Tuesday, March 17, 2009. The auction was held to raise money for the organization, H.E.R.O., which strives to improve the life quality of children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.