A&S Fountain serves a greater purpose

Most people do not realize what a simple penny can do. Not only does wishing in a wishing well bring hope to the person wishing and throwing the coin, but at GCSU, it means much more. The fountain in front of the Arts & Sciences building does not merely collect change and wishes for no reason. It allows wishes to come true.

This wishing fountain allows GCSU students to help make a difference. The change Plant Operations collects from the fountain is sent to the GIVE Center, rolled, and then donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The fountain was constructed around 1996 shortly after the Arts & Sciences building was constructed. Once it was finished, Plant Operations built the fountain to accompany it. While digging for the site, the builders came across remains of some type of building.

“When they were building it … they found foundation remains,” said Dr. Bob Wilson, chair of the History, Geography, and Philosophy Department and campus historian.

A few years after the fountain was constructed, Kendall Stiles, founder of the GIVE Center, wondered if the change collected from the fountain was being used. She contacted Plant Operations in hopes that the GIVE Center would be able to receive the change collected from the fountain. The GIVE Center would then donate the money to an organization. Plant Operations agreed to the arrangement and the money was then designated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The average amount of money collected from the fountain is $100. However, the fountain is not cleaned on a regular basis, so the money is not being collected regularly either. The last time coins were collected was around a year ago. There has been no donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation from the proceeds of the fountain in over a year.

Stiles encourages students to continue to make wishes and throw their spare change in the fountain.

“Every little penny counts.just toss it in there,” Stiles said.

Stiles also commented that she and Make-A-Wish are trying to start a group on campus called the Wishmakers. This group would consist of college students who are interested in working with Make-A-Wish. Their first assignment might possibly be taking over the management of the Make-A-Wish Fountain.

“I wish I had known that the fountain was for such a good cause. I would have thrown my spare change in. I will now, for sure,” Taylor Goodman, a junior mass communication major, said.

Our wishes can help others’ wishes come true.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 11 2009. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry