SMSU's Annual Airplane Toss!

SMSU’s Annual Paper Airplane Toss was a success on February 3, 2012!

Since 2003, The NCAA Division II has established a partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to assist in granting wishes through fundraising efforts. Over 1,900,000 dollars have been raised over the past nine years; the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening diseases, providing opportunities to enrich the human experience.

Every year the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) makes it a goal for each institution/university to raise 1,000 dollars for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is in charge of the fundraising efforts on each campus. Throughout the year we put on multiple fundraising events where all proceeds go directly to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. One of our most well-known and well-liked fundraising events is The Paper Airplane Toss.


The Division II’s Week of Wishes is February 18-26, 2012; however, because our Annual Paper Airplane Toss always takes place on the Friday before Hawaiian Night, we got an early start! Local businesses and companies, along with the SMSU athletic teams donated gift certificates, merchandise/apparel, and other prizes—this year we had over 130 prizes available to win! Paper airplanes are then sold at the game: 1 airplane for $1, or 7 airplanes for $5; we have pre-folded airplanes available, but some people prefer to fold their own. At the halftime of the Men’s Basketball Game, SAAC members distribute paper plates (each representing a prize) faced down all across the basketball court, where fans who purchased the planes are invited to gather around the perimeter of the courts to throw their planes. The plane that lands closes to each plate/prize wins!

This year’s Paper Airplane Toss raised just under 400 dollars, which puts SMSU over our goal of 1,000 dollars raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. As the president of SAAC, it is so rewarding to see the community of Marshall and everyone on campus take part in our efforts to support the DII and Make-A-Wish Foundation partnership. Not only did the Mustangs pull out a few impressive victories this past weekend, but as a collective whole, SMSU was able to win big with our collaborative efforts to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Kelly Fitzgerald
Senior - Marshalltown, IA