From caffeine habits to charity

Now all those Red Bulls Penn students use to help them study all night may serve a higher purpose.

Penn for UNICEF is joining forces with the Residential Advisory Board to collect aluminum soda can tabs. The tabs will be donated to the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, which will sell them to a scrap metal dealer to help pay operational costs.

The Ronald McDonald House gives families of "seriously ill children" a place to stay while the children receive treatment at nearby hospitals, according to the organization's web site.

For about the last 10 years, the House has collected over $100,000 in soda can tabs to cover the difference in their costs and the amount they charge: families pay $15 for each night they stay, but operating costs are estimated at $60-65 each night.

College freshman Masha Jones decided to contribute to the house's effort by making use of the endless number of canned beverages Penn students consume.

College senior and Penn for UNICEF Co-President Eszter Boda said she hopes the project will promote awareness of the House.

RAB chairwoman and College sophomore Mara Gomes said that the Ronald McDonald House is "in our direct community" and "a really pertinent charity."

"I'm really excited about sponsoring this project. It's something that hasn't really been done at Penn yet," she said. "It's a pretty unique type of fundraiser, and it's also a great way to tie in with RecycleMania."

Collection containers have been placed in Williams Cafe, David Rittenhouse Laboratories, the Chemistry Cafe, Houston Market and, with RAB's assistance, nine out of the 11 college houses, including Fisher Hassenfeld, Ware, Kings Court, Stouffer and Mayer Hall.

College freshman Vera Goldberg, who is helping with the project, has also spoken with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs to see if containers can be placed in fraternity and sorority houses, but she is not sure if this will happen.

Acquiring the collection containers was a bit of a hurdle, as well.

After asking around to see if anyone could spare an empty three-gallon water bottle and being repeatedly rejected, Jones asked the bottled water provider if they would donate damaged bottles. She finally managed to obtain 15 one-gallon water bottles - still filled with water. Goldberg then sent out an e-mail to her hall in Ware College House asking them to "help children by drinking water." Luckily for Goldberg, her hallmates were thirsty.

"The more tabs we collect, the better," Goldberg said.

Gomes emphasized that students are not being asked to give up anything. "It's just one small, extra step to take off the tabs," she said.

Goldberg is also optimistic.

She said, "I figure that tons of students are drinking Red Bull."

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