Homecoming philanthropy to benefit TeamOC in honor of Darci Thompson

The homecoming philanthropy project is coming up on campus. 

Every year, the homecoming committee chooses a charity to raise money for. This year, they are raising money for TeamOC in honor of Darci Thompson, an Oklahoma Christian University community member who passed away earlier this year due to cancer.

Audrey Redfearn is in charge of philanthropy this year and she answered some questions on why she chose TeamOC, what it means to her personally and what fundraising activities will be going on during homecoming week.  

“I have worked in the Dub and with TeamOC since my freshman year at OC,” Redfearn said. “I have been a part of a lot of the events that they put on. I also have been fortunate enough to see and participate in a little of the behind-the-scenes work. The things that the staff of TeamOC have to do is not a small job.”

TeamOC is a health and fitness group which hosts races, fitness classes and promotes healthy habits to the Oklahoma Christian Community.

Redfearn touched on what Darci Thompson meant to the campus and TeamOC. 

“[Darci] had a passion for fitness and was kind to everyone she met,” Redfearn said. “She was an inspiring person to simply be around. Darci passed away earlier this year due to cancer. I just wanted to do something in her memory this year, to show appreciation for the impact she had on my life and on our campus. I felt like the philanthropy project was a good way to show appreciation by giving back to an organization she loved and poured so much time and energy into.” 

According to Redfearn, TeamOC organizes events throughout the year, supporting groups on and off-campus. Homecoming will now help to raise funds for these events.

“We have been doing restaurant nights where we have partnered with Johnnie’s Burgers and Roots Nutrition to help raise funds,” Redfearn said. 

Redfearn touched on some fun activities they are doing on campus for students to get involved. 

“We also are doing Penny Wars where we ask faculty and staff members to volunteer to have their names on jars and people can donate to their jar,” Redfearn said. “At the end of the time, the top three faculty and staff members with the most donations will get a pie in the face. We also are selling homecoming sweatshirts to raise funds.”

Despite the coronavirus, Redfearn said homecoming is going well. 

“Homecoming is going well so far,” Redfearn said. “We have an awesome executive team headed up by a great director, Kennah Foster. The executive team, with the help of Katie Martinez, has put in a lot of work to make homecoming still happen this year in spite of COVID.”