Lakeland University’s student-run business, Launch, is holding summer events to raise money for our athletes, clubs, and organizations for Fall 2021.

The coordinator of summer events, Launch, has five divisions: Hospitality, Nonprofit, Merchandising, Develop U, and Property Management & Land Development. Ali Wilson, a senior student and the event planner for Launch, explained that all the summer events coming up will raise money and open for everyone to sign up and volunteer. She explained that the events are scattered throughout the summer and that will help bring funds to Launch’s five divisions.

The events range from Sheboygan Memorial Day Parade, which at 9:00 a.m. on May 31 in downtown Sheboygan, to the next event that is Lakeland University Blasters Golf Outing at 10:00 a.m. on Jun. 18 at Blackwolf Run Gold Couse in Kohler. Another event will be the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament from Jul. 31 and Aug. 1 at Harbor Centre Marina on the Lake Michigan shoreline. Wilson thought about all of this when deciding on planning these events. The interests can be found with basketball, golf, racing, and the parade can attract people from all different backgrounds and that is a huge feature of these events.

The reason that Lakeland and Launch are holding these events is to raise money. Wilson explained that there is a goal for the amount raised and she is hopeful that these events will bring in between sixty thousand and ninety thousand dollars. Wilson also explained, “For each event, Launch will keep 20% of the net proceeds, 10% of the net proceeds will go to the Nonprofit Division, and the other 70% will be used to either help teams and organizations fundraise or to hire temporary student employees to work our very busy summer schedule.” Launch and with the help of Wilson, hopefully, can make these goals happen this summer, and these events will draw in people from different communities.

Amanda Brandt, chief marketing officer for Launch, also explained that even with COVID-19, “The Launch team is working with the City of Sheboygan and Public Health Department along with CDC guidelines to ensure that our events are safe for attendees and workers.” People can attend these events and support Lakeland University, and still be safe about it.

Between the clubs, organizations, and athletics there is no composition on who can raise the most money. The understanding of how the money will be spilt is that the total that is collected, the athletics and organizations will be receiving seventy percent of the funds, and they will be divided on the time they put towards each event.

This will be the first year that these events will be held, and there will be a lot of pre-planning for each event. With the first-year planning, Wilson is taking the planning cautiously and wisely, because of COVID-19 and the guidelines, plus what volunteer work that Lakeland can do as well.