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It had been 15 years since Larry Bassow, co-adviser for Up 'til Dawn, got his last tattoo. Now, the newest addition to his body art is the Up 'til Dawn emblem, fulfilling his promise to get inked if Chico State raise more than $200,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
On Nov. 3 about 2,300 students spent the evening writing more than 50,000 letters to friends and family members in request of donations for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, according to a press release.
Bassow made the decision to get an Up 'til Dawn tattoo if Chico State reached its goal after another Up 'til Dawn adviser at Western Kentucky University declared she would shave her head if they surpassed their own fundraising goal, he said.
"When she said that, I said, 'I could do that,' but it wouldn't be as cool for me to shave my head because I don't really have that much hair," Bassow said. "So I said, 'I'll get a tattoo if we raise that much money.'"
On April 15 Bassow fulfilled his promise and went to the Sacred Art Tattoo shop and got his fourth tattoo, he said. This one went on his left shoulder.
Chico State is the first school to raise $200,000 in one school year, he said. Each year, the Up 'til Dawn participants have raised more money than the one before.
Its previous high was $187,000 in 2007, which was an all-time national high, followed by $183,561 in 2008, according to a press release. The Up 'til Dawn program at Chico has raised more than $877,000 since 2001. The winners were announced in March.
"They know us at St. Jude, and we have a high reputation," Bassow said. "We did it, so I got to hold up my end of the bargain. I'm getting this tattoo, and I'm keeping my word."
Chico State students are great people, he said. And that's reflected by how much money they raise at the Up 'til Dawn event. Even if they don't participate, students know what Up 'til Dawn is - it's a Chico State trademark.
"Just gaining more awareness for cancer is the real goal," Bassow said. "By getting media attention with a tattoo, I hope we direct more attention for the hospital."
Some students get into the spirit of fundraising for the hospital with a competitive edge.
"Anyone can shave their head, but it takes a real leader to get a tattoo," said senior Lindsay Twilegar, an Up 'til Dawn director.
Twilegar believes there is a strong sense of competition at the Up 'til Dawn events, she said.
"People want to be us," Twilegar said. "People want to be the next Chico State."
Students see the tattoo as a symbol of dedication to St. Jude's Children hospital.
"I knew that Larry would one up whoever bets against us," said senior Drew Lewis, an Up 'til Dawn director. "It's exciting to have someone as competitive as him. He's inspirational."
It's amazing to have an adviser who has such a great attitude, he said. Getting a tattoo really shows a lifelong commitment to the organization and the hospital.
"We raised the most money a university has raised in an Up 'til Dawn event," Lewis said. "There are over 200 universities around the nation that participate, so it's a big accomplishment. We're going to keep raising the bar every year from now on."
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