EV
Emily VanFleteren
  • physical education
  • Class of 2014
  • Troy, MI

Emily VanFleteren, of Troy, leads SVSU fundraising competition

2014 Nov 7

Saginaw Valley State University student Emily VanFleteren, of Troy, was selected as coordinator for the 2014 Battle of the Valleys fundraising competition with Grand Valley State University.

VanFleteren, a physical education major, will lead SVSU's week-long fundraising efforts, which kick off Sunday, Nov. 9. It culminates with the rival football programs' 1 p.m. game Saturday, Nov. 15, at SVSU's Harvey Randall Wickes Stadium.

This year's efforts will carry an added personal meaning for VanFleteren and student organizers familiar with the namesake of the SVSU charity partner, the Cory Rivard Jr. Promise Foundation.

Cory Rivard Jr. was a GVSU student who committed suicide in January 2011. Josh Rivard, his younger brother, graduated from SVSU in May and is now in graduate school.

VanFleteren said she and other SVSU students met Cory Rivard Jr. several times years ago when he visited his younger sibling at the Saginaw campus. Now, she hopes to raise $35,000 for the Rivard family-established foundation, which educates college students on preventative measures for suicide, depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses.

She said the foundation's tagline, "A Hug From Above," perfectly encapsulated Cory Rivard, Jr.'s affable nature with friends and strangers alike.

"He was a great kid," she said. "This hits home for me, and for a lot of people on campus who had met Cory or who know Josh."

Rivard's status as a GVSU student with close SVSU ties also drives home another important message regarding Battle of the Valleys. "Although there's a rivalry, we're fighting for great causes together," VanFleteren said. "It helps put this rivalry in a positive light."

Members of Rivard's family will attend some of the week's events, all of which are open to the public. The schedule includes fundraising at an Ontario Hockey League game between the Saginaw Spirit and Windsor Spitfires, a pep rally, date auction, car smash event, and a talent show.

For more details on each event, visit www.svsu.edu/bov. Internet users also can donate to the fundraiser online within the website.

Since 2003, SVSU and GVSU have raised $432,963 during Battle of the Valleys for various charities and foundations. SVSU has collected $274,498, or 63.3 percent of the total, and out-raised GVSU during eight of the 11 years.

Last year, SVSU raised $25,185 for Area 22 Special Olympics Michigan, an organization that yearly sends hundreds of special-needs athletes to SVSU to compete.