Dearest members of the Notre Dame, Holy Cross and Saint Mary’s community,On Wednesday, February 16, the Siegfried Ramblers will be once again asking for your financial support. Siegfried’s Day of Man fundraiser for the South Bend Center for the Homeless is just a few short days away, and we would love for you to stand with us again and support the South Bend community.Over the past couple of years, Siegfried Hall’s signature event has evolved quite a bit. Just two years ago, the Ramblers of Siegfried loomed large over campus. We stood outside of DeBart during class change, the dining halls during dinner, and anywhere else we could gather, all clad in just T-shirts and shorts through the February cold. One of our posters asked campus to vote on their favorite Pete (Pilot, Mayor, Father, etc.), and others made bold political statements such as “Krusty Krab Unfair.” While a bit chilly, we had an absolute blast, and we were thrilled to raise more money than we ever had before for the Center.Last year, everything changed. Not only was all of the on-campus collecting shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the pandemic had left the South Bend Center for the Homeless in dire need. They had a deficit of over $1 million dollars around the time our fundraiser rolled around, and we were worried that without our activity on campus, we wouldn’t be able to help them as much as we had in the past when it mattered most. We really looked inwards last year and reflected on the true reason we dressed so poorly for February’s biting winds one day every year. We took to social media, got the word out through every channel we could and tried our best to make the virtual Day of Man have the same impact as the in-person event. Despite our efforts, we still were expecting to take a hit on the donation total for 2021.That’s when you all saved the day. Thanks to immense support from everyone in the community, we absolutely shattered our record total from last year and raised around $33,000 for the Center in just a few days. We were so happy and grateful to everyone who donated that we could support the Center for the Homeless when they needed it most. We cannot thank everyone who supported us enough for all the good they helped cause.This year will definitely be shaped by the previous two. Cash donations and on-campus fundraising are approved again this year, so you’ll definitely see us around campus with our solo cups and posters again. If you’re looking for a Rambler to collect your donation, you won’t have to look far. However, last year helped us realize that we love when we can have fun with the event, but we always have to keep our why at the forefront of our minds. While restrictions on campus are largely gone, the pandemic continues to make it harder for the South Bend Center for the Homeless to operate normally. Every penny donated makes a positive impact on the South Bend community, and we want to have the same or even more impact than we did last year.The Day of Man fundraisers in 2019 and 2020 could not have been much more different, but two things remained the same. Siegfried Ramblers were still dressed in T-shirts and shorts in February, and both years we set a new record for money raised for the South Bend Center for the Homeless. In a year that still brings new challenges, let’s keep those two traditions going. If you’re looking to donate, most of our donations will go through the link https://www.tinyurl.com/dayofman2022. The link is live from now until March 4th.Still freezin’ for a reason,
Miles Kelley
junior
Aidan Creeron
junior
Ben Jung
junior
Brogan Pivnicka
sophomore
Sean Donohue
sophomore
Feb. 10
