News > April 10, 2008

By Elliot Engstrom | News editor

The Disabilities Awareness Coalition will hold the Meg Hudson Memorial Arts Festival at 6 p.m. April 11 in Brendle Recital Hall to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Greensboro, N.C. The event is the latest in an annual series of festivals hosted by the organization.

Senior Lindsay Donohue, president of the Disabilities Awareness Coalition at the university, believes that the event will raise money for a good cause and hopes that enough will be raised to significantly benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

“I definitely feel good knowing that it is going to help out people with a disease and hopefully also contributing to research,” Donohue said.

“We’re directly donating to the foundation in Greensboro, so it’s good to know that it’s locally based as well.”

Meg Hudson, the festival’s namesake, was a student at the university who died of heart complications in 2003. Since her passing, the organization has held the festival in her remembrance every year. “Every year we choose a different charity to benefit, and so this year all of our proceeds are going to the association in Greensboro,” Donohue said.

“Last year we gave to autism, and the year before that we gave to the

Special Children’s School. The year before that we gave to the Piedmont Down Syndrome Society.”

Donohue hopes to raise at least $1,000 in proceeds at the event.

The organization has met this goal in the past, and it has even surpassed $2,000 some years.

The event hits home for Donohue.

“My brother has muscular dystrophy and so does the brother of another girl in the organization,” she said. This year’s festival will not be the first time that an event put on by DAC has been personal for Donohue, as her brother also suffers from down syndrome. Muscular dystrophy is a disease which causes the atrophy of a person’s muscles.

It comes in different severities that can range from having problems walking to being confined to a wheelchair.

In some cases the disease can be passed on genetically.

Many who have muscular dystrophy eventually die from its effects.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. with a reception and refreshments along with a silent art auction.

Pieces up for auction include student art pieces as well as art donated by members of the community.

From 7 p.m. until the end of the night, students will give performances.Among the slated performances are pianists, a traditional bangra dancer and skits. The evening will also feature a performance by the university’s Dirrrty Dancers.

Rodney Archy, an international gospel singer, will perform as well.

Donohue hopes that the event will attract new members to the organization as a large number of DAC members are graduating seniors.

“We definitely need to recruit new members, because 90 percent of our organization is seniors,” Donohue said.

“On Thursday we’ll have people outside of the Pit recruiting, and we’ve been dorm storming and hanging up flyers.”

The organization currently has about 12 members, according to Donohue.

The event is open to the public.

Tickets purchased with cash or checks are $5 in advance or $7 at the door. Those purchased with deacon dollars are $7 dollars in advance or $10 at the door. Questions, concerns or interest in joining the Disabilities Awareness Coalition at the university can be directed to Donohue at donoly4@wfu.edu.