College of Business Students Take Fundraising to the Extreme
By Abby P. Metzger
ESPN might not broadcast extreme fundraising like other forms of high-octane entertainment, but that could change if College of Business students Tate Koenig and Keegan Warrington have anything to do with it. In December 2009, the OSU sophomores will participate in the Africa Rally, a fundraising effort consisting of a six-week, 10,000-mile race from England to Cameroon in an un-suitable car. Koenig and Warrington hope the rally raises awareness for their sustainability-focused charity they started with Zach Lowry, a fellow OSU student, called Citizens of the World (COW).
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L-R: Keegan Warrington, Zach Lowry & Tate Koenig. | “We’re doing the Africa Rally to jump-start our charity and bring attention to our cause,” said Warrington.
COW’s participation in the rally will support three charities: Send a Cow, a Christian nonprofit that runs sustainable agricultural programs; Ape Action in Africa, an organization working to protect gorillas and chimpanzees; and The Rain Forest Foundation, a funding agency for rainforest protection groups.
“Our goal is to raise $20,000, and a big portion of that would go to all three charities,” explained Koenig. The students are soliciting for funds through donations and COW gear sales.
Because of its scope, the Africa Rally is sure to raise money—and a few eyebrows. Participants must use a car smaller than 1.3 liters to cross rugged terrain like swollen rivers, wild jungles and scorching deserts. There are no routes and no back-up. Last year, 42 teams participated, but only 28 finished. One team spent time in a Nigerian prison. Others were robbed or had their car break down.
It’s not exactly a cushy guided tour, so why go through all the trouble?
Warrington and Koenig said their participation is part of a larger effort to educate citizens about the benefits of sustainable living, and to support other charities working on behalf of environmental or social causes. “I want kids to start thinking outside the box—not so much about the here and now, but about the long-term benefits of living sustainably and how their actions affect everyone around them,” said Warrington.
Travel, says Koenig, is one way to encourage a broader perspective about issues facing people across the globe. Koenig visited Nicaragua and helped build a sustainable garden at an orphanage. “Seeing that kind of thing and participating first-hand in a project like that is life-changing,” he said.
COW is the youngest out of this year’s 87 rally teams. But together Warrington and Koenig have a well-rounded skill-set. Both have travel experience. Additionally, Koenig grew up fixing cars and can provide mechanical support if their rally car, a 1986 Suzuki Samurai, breaks down. Warrington said he has strong communication skills and can converse with locals about food, shelter and other necessities.
COW co-founder Zach Lowry will stay home and provide satellite support. He will upload photos, keep families informed of COW’s progress and communicate with his team about U.S. embassy locations. All three students have been doing loads of research about the countries they will travel to during the race.
Alongside a daunting physical journey, the COW team is undergoing a journey of another kind. They have been refining their business expertise through real-world experience. Besides knowing how to start a nonprofit, they are learning vital business writing skills by meeting with enterprises and soliciting for sponsorships. Big-name entities like ad agency Wieden + Kennedy have already signed on. “The skills that I’m learning through this experience will help me no matter what I end up doing,” said Koenig.
Overall, Koenig and Warrington hope the Africa Rally brings credibility to COW and nudges other students to make a difference in the world. “You don’t have to go on one of these trips to support a good cause,” said Koenig. “There are tons of ways to get involved.”
Warrington agrees. “It seems wild and crazy, but anyone can do this. It’s from these uncommon situations that you grow the most,” he said. “Who wants to live a boring life anyway?”
Information: www.BEACOW.com | 
