The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) concluded the sixth annual Big West Coin Drive with a collective jaw dropping performance, raising a record $36,271.76 and besting the previous mark by more than $21,000.
   
Hawai’i collected $11,523 to lead all Big West schools with the total designated for the charity of their choice – the Hawaii Pacific chapter of the American Cancer Society.  In addition to that sum, each of the remaining nine conference institutions will donate 25 percent of their totals to UH’s charity, which amounts to a little over an extra $6,000.
   
All of the SAAC’s did a tremendous job with their fundraising efforts, with three schools establishing single-year records for money collected.  Cal State Northridge ($8,404.96), UC Irvine ($4,106.82) and Pacific ($3,804.36), a three-time title holder, each raised the bar for future SAAC organizations.
   
“I would like to congratulate the Big West Student Athlete Advisory Committee for a tremendous job in making this the most successful yet of the Coin Drive,” said Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell.  “The dedication exhibited by our schools to this worthy cause is inspiring.”
   
All 10 Big West SAAC’s brought in at least $1,000, with the recipient of their efforts a wide variety of charities.  Those charities include: CURE International (Cal Poly); Orangewood Children’s Foundation (Cal State Fullerton); San Fernando Valley Community Health Center: 100 Citizens Program (Cal State Northridge); City of Hope (Long Beach State); Short Term Emergency Aid Committee (UC Davis); UCI Medical Center-Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (UC Irvine); Highlander Elementary (UC Riverside); Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (UC Santa Barbara); and St. Joseph’s Medical Center-Breast Health Services (Pacific).
   
The SAAC raised a collective $11,923.24 in 2012.  The Big West Coin Drive has collected a six-year aggregate of $93,037.12.
   
The Coin Drive takes place during the month of February as each SAAC organizes a location on their respective campuses to collect coins for a designated charity.  The Drive continues to pick up momentum year after year, culminating in a truly amazing effort in 2013.

SCHOOL	CHARITY	MONEY RAISED
Hawai’i	Hawaii Pacific Chapter of the American Cancer Society	$11,523.00
Cal State Northridge	San Fernando Valley Community Health Center: 100 Citizens Program	$8,404.96
UC Irvine	UCI Medical Center-Neonatal Intensive Care Unit	$4,106.82
Pacific	St. Joseph’s Medical Center-Breast Health Services	$3,804.36
Cal Poly	CURE International (SLO)	$2,238.95
Long Beach State	City of Hope	$1,446.80
Cal State Fullerton	Orangewood Children’s Foundation	$1,410.00
UC Davis	Short Term Emergency Aid Committee (STEAC)	$1,292.24
UC Riverside	Highlander Elementary	$1,044.63
UC Santa Barbara	Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation	$1,000.00
TOTALS		$36,271.76