Chardoneé Wright, Staff Writer:
Rows of sneakers, sweatpants and jerseys filled the Adanti Student Center Ballroom, as students browsed the items looking for certain colors, varieties and styles.
The Southern women’s basketball team sponsored a sneaker sale and fundraiser, featuring name brand items such as New Balance, Reebok and Nike.
Adidas visors and hats of all colors were stocked on tables for purchase as well Jay Patel, a freshman nursing major, said he already had an idea of what he was looking for.
“Something that’s green to match my shirts,” said Patel. “Probably some Pumas.”
Patel said his Owls email account notified him of the fundraiser, which sparked his interest in coming out and seeing what was being sold. He said that the most he would spend was $60.
Patel was accompanied by his friend, Michelle Wituck, also a freshman nursing major. Wituck and Patel browsed the racks of shoes, discussing which pair would accommodate them the best.
Both Wituck and Patel also discussed which sneakers were stylish enough for them.
“We are freshmen and we don’t have cars, so we need fresh kicks,” said Wituck. “We need shoes.”
Upon arrival, members of the women’s basketball team took bags that anyone was carrying and gave a ticket for entrance.
Customers were free to roam throughout the ballroom and pick up their bags upon leaving the event.
Anyone looking to purchase items during the fundraiser could use cash, credit, or debit.
According to Southern’s website, sneaker sales were buy one, get one free when purchased with cash and were buy one and get one at half price when they were purchased with a credit card.
Sneakers and Timberland boots that would normally range from $50 to $140 were sold at half price.
Chairs were set up on the sides of tables for customers to try shoes on. Customers browsed the tables as they tried on different shoes and talked with their friends about what to buy.
Kelsey Kosarko, a sophomore nursing major, said she was at the fundraiser to look around for her friend.
“A friend sent me to browse around and see what they had,” said Kosarko, as she looked around at the men’s sneaker table. “They have a lot of options and variety.”
Five and 10 dollar basketball shorts were hanging up on a rack next to Under Armour for men and women.
Piled high on the top of tables, and stacked side by side underneath the tables were name brand sneakers available for purchase including Asics, Saucony and Brooks.
The tables were lined vertically, side by side next to racks of clothes and the entire ballroom was filled with these items.
Andy Bender, manager at Secret Sneaker, an independent store in Lancaster, PA, sat at the table where payments were taken.
Bender said his store teamed up with the basketball team to provide them with the items that were sold.
“The women’s basketball team gets a certain percentage of whatever is sold,” said Bender.
“That amount varies, based on how much money is made today.”
Bender also said that the process of getting the fundraiser together was simple and it was his first year doing this event with the basketball team.
“It’s planning on their part,” said Bender. “It took only two hours to set up, but wasn’t that hard.”
