Two Penn State University students are organizing the second annual Blue Out at Penn State on Sept. 22 at Beaver Stadium during the Nittany Lions football game against Temple University to show solidarity with victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
Penn State students Laura March and Stuart Shapiro are coordinating the event in collaboration with One Heart: Penn State Students Against the Sexual Abuse of Children. Proceeds raised from the sale of t-shirts and merchandise will benefit the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR).
‘PCAR is proud to be the beneficiary of the second annual Blue Out at Penn State,’ PCAR CEO Delilah Rumburg said. ‘The efforts by Laura, Stuart and those involved with the One Heart campaign show compassion for all victims of sexual abuse. We are thrilled to see so many Penn State students raising awareness and support for victims and survivors.’
It also shows that members of the student-body support a change in the culture at Penn State-one PCAR has partnered with the university to help create through trainings and other implementations.
‘We must not ignore the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal or try to pass blame,’ Shapiro said. ‘The Penn State family must work together to cultivate change. One way to start this process is to make the Blue Out an annual event.
March and Shapiro organized the first Blue Out at the Nov. 11, Penn State vs. Nebraska game with Penn State alumna Therese Jones. The event, which was organized in six days, raised approximately $47,000 for child abuse prevention charities.
‘Blue Outs are a great way to reconcile our membership in this community and ensure that Penn State becomes a safer place for future generations,’ March said. ‘Penn State asked PCAR to partner with them to enhance our ability to detect and respond to sexual abuse, and we wanted a way for students and alumni to support those efforts.
Donations will be accepted at the gates and through the purchase of event T-shirts and sunglasses, available at local retailers and online (see http://blueout.org/merchandise). Contributions also can be made at www.pcar.org.
In addition to wearing blue, this year’s theme, ‘One Team. One School. One Heart. One Promise.,’ urges participants to share one personal promise that affirms their commitment to altruism. Tweet your promise to @BlueOut using the hashtag #
OnePromise or write on the Blue Out Facebook wall at https://www.facebook.com/events/156190601183526.
For more information, please visit http://blueout.org.
