Mark Your Calendars!

We’ve been so busy here at the Pledge 5 office!  We’re working on several different events, including “The Pledge 5 Apprentice,” Kanapaha 5K-9, and Gator Stompin’!

 Pledge 5 Foundation will have an open call for “The Pledge 5 Apprentice” on Thursday, Feb. 17, at 7:20 p.m. at the University of Florida’s Rinker Hall, Room 101.  “The Pledge 5 Apprentice” will follow the format of NBC’s “The Apprentice.” Each week, participants will be given a project to complete correlating with Pledge 5 Foundation’s charity drives and events.  Contestants will face weekly elimination based on their performance.  The last person standing will become the next executive director of Pledge 5 and will win a $40,000 compensation package that includes $30,500 cash, housing and restaurant allowance, among other things. All majors are invited and encouraged to attend.

We’re teaming up with the Gainesville Pet Rescue for the Kanapaha 5K-9.  This event is a 5K race and one mile run/walk that you can do with your best friend!  Running with a dog in the 5K is only recommended for those who have trained extensively with their dog; however, everyone is encouraged to take their companion on the one- mile route. All routes are non-paved, so they’re pet-friendly!

One of our most popular events is Gator Stompin’, which has been a rite of passage in Gainesville since 1983!  At the end of every spring, students and locals get together to celebrate being part of the Gator Nation.  The Official Gator Stompin’ T-shirt grants access to over 50 of Gainesville’s best bars, nightclubs and restaurants, where you are treated to amazing drinks, delicious food and live music!  Don’t miss what the Independent Florida Alligator ranked as one of the top 10 things to do before leaving Gainesville. GO GATORS!

Anyway, we’re currently offering a 51 percent discount on Gator Stompin’ tickets through Groupon.com, so head over there for this exclusive deal, which ends on Saturday at midnight!  Tickets are usually $35, but through Groupon you can get your ticket for only $17!

These are definitely opportunities you don’t want to miss out on!  Visit our Twitter and Facebook pages for more details on upcoming charity drives and events!

Mixin' & Minglin', MUBbin' & Scrubbin', Prankin' & Poker Playin'!

We’ve had a very busy week here at Pledge 5 Foundation, but we’ve also had a lot of fun!  In addition to preparing for our second annual “Taking It Off For Charity” Poker Tournament, we also held our Pledge 5 Community Mixer, which took place on Wednesday night at Sharab Lounge.   Our new interns got to “mix and mingle,” Pledge 5 Gators brought new spring recruits, and various community members who support Pledge 5 Foundation came out to hear about the exciting events and drives we have coming up this season!

Several members of Pledge 5 Foundation and Pledge 5 Gators went to the University of Florida last Friday to clean the music building for our first Pledge 5 public service event, the “MUB Scrub.”  After the event, a few of our interns participated in the Dorm Prank contest sponsored by ApartmentsInGainesville.com.  They started in Beaty Towers, blocking the entrance to the dorm by pretending that they were frozen.  Because they were “frozen in time,” as they described it, some of the residents had a difficult and very awkward time trying to get into the building.  To finish off the night, they sang a song about Pledge 5 in the elevator and to a confused Beaty resident. Check out the videos here and here!

 MUB Scrub

We’re also starting a campaign called “Stock Our Office!”  As you know, Pledge 5 Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes public service through events, charity drives and other community initiatives.  Unfortunately, our office is lacking a lot of materials and equipment that we really need!  So we’re offering logo placement on marketing material, promotional opportunities at our events and online marketing opportunities to those who wish to contribute.  Our current “Wish List” includes office supplies, chairs, a desk, a couch, a water cooler, lamps, an area rug, wall art, plants, etc.  If you’re interested in donating any of these materials (or anything else you can think of!) please contact Pledge 5 Foundation Director Ben Fox at (352) 577-8667 or ben@pledge5.org.

By the way, our “Taking It Off For Charity” Poker Tournament is in just two weeks, so practice your pa-pa-pa poker face!  And make sure you follow us on Twitter and Facebook because we’ve got some fun contests coming your way to win free VIP tickets!