BY JACKIE ALBRECHT NEWS EDITOR
The Wartburg service trips program has started using two Web sites to help raise money for their organization this year.
Wartburg service trips adviser Renee Sedlacek set up two sites in November. The sites donate money to non-profit organizations and causes.
Goodsearch.com is a search engine powered by Yahoo.com that donates 1.3 cents to a charity or school every time a search is made.
“The hardest part is getting in the habit of using Goodsearch rather than Google. Goodsearch is powered by Yahoo.com so you get just as good search results when using it as you would Google,” Sedlacek said.
GiveBackAmerica.org is an online shopping mall and various percentages of each purchase go towards a cause or charity. Users can buy things from stores such as Target, Expedia, Amazon or Ebay; however, a percentage of each purchase made, specified by the business, will go towards Wartburg service trips.
So far Goodsearch.com has donated $17.53 to the service trips program. Over 800 searches were made in November, while 950 searches have currently been performed in December.
“I know that Wartburg students conduct thousands of searches every day, so this is a great way for people to help our cause even if they can’t participate in a trip,” service trip student coordinator Nate Palmolea said.
The Wartburg service trips program is always looking for different ways to raise money for the organization, Sedlacek said.
“I don’t think it will carry the ball by any means, but we could make some serious cash. If everyone in the service trip program uses it [a] minimum [of] five searches a day from now until we leave we could make more than $650,” Sedlacek said.
The money will be used to help alleviate the service trips costs.
“It will go directly to helping to pay for service trip expenses, everything from transportation to housing and food,” Sedlacek said.
“Over 40 percent of our budget for the year comes from dollars that are fundraised outside of the college.”