The University of Massachusetts will be working up a sweat to raise awareness and money for those affected by domestic violence during “Kick it With Sisters,” a Sisters on the Runway benefit event this Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.
According to a press release, “Kick it With Sisters” will feature a kickboxing class instructed by UMass senior Eliza Shirazi to benefit Safe Passage, a women’s shelter in Northampton.
UMass Sisters on the Runway co-presidents Christine Cummings and Kelsey Stokes said the event is expected to attract over 150 people and sell out.
“We chose a kick-a-thon because it is a new, fun way to raise awareness by physically being involved with the cause,” Stokes said. “Kickboxing is an empowering sport, and as an (Registered Student Organization) we want to empower students to fight against domestic violence.”
Shirazi, a kickboxing instructor at the UMass Recreation Center, said “Kick it With Sisters” will be her third “kick-a-thon.”
In 2010, Shirazi held “Kick it for Haiti” in support of the Haiti Relief Fund for the American Red Cross. Last October she continued with “Kick the Cancer,” benefiting the American Cancer Society. Both fundraisers made about $600 for each charity, she said.
According to the organization’s Campus Pulse Page, UMass Sisters on the Runway is currently the third chapter of the national organization, which originally was founded in Montclair, N.J., in 2005 to raise funds and awareness for women and children affected by domestic violence. The UMass chapter has over 300 members and has been an RSO since 2010.
“Kick it With Sisters” tickets will be available for $10 in the Resource Room of the Student Union until Saturday. On the day of the event, tickets will be sold at the door at 2:30 p.m., Stokes said.
“It’s a really fun way to raise awareness and funds for a great cause,” Stokes said.
Stokes said t-shirts will also be on sale for $12, adding that the first 100 participants will receive a free purple bandana.
Jaclyn Bryson can be reached at [email protected].
