Mayor Geer van Rumund opens Serious Request in Forum. Photo:Sven Menschel
The Wageningen Mayor Geert van Rumund gave the starting signal for the week of action during lunch break. DJ’s from different student organizations will play requested songs from eight in the morning until six in the afternoon on the podium of Forum. In exchange for a donation the students can request their favourite songs, the student Hedy te Rietmole of the Student desk explains. ‘It is possible to listen to the songs on 106.0 FM, the frequency of RTV Rijnstreek, the local radio station. We are allowed to use that radio frequency this week for Serious Request.’
It is the first time that the student desk is organizing a whole week for Serious Request. Last year there was a Christmas market in Orion and several bands were playing live music. ‘Organizing a whole week is not always easy,’ Tinka Overschie says, ‘but I think it will be nice. We hope that a lot of money will be collected.’ Last year they counted more than 500 euro.
Live radio is only the start, the students share. ‘Anyone who wants to hear more music or charity can come to the band night in The Spot on Tuesday. Wednesday there will be an obstacle run on campus and Thursday the week will be ended with a party in cafe Penny Lane. Above all lottery tickets are being sold throughout the week.’
The money that is collected this week will go to the national Serious Request that the Red Cross has been organizing since 2004 together with the radio station 3FM. This year money is collected to support youth in war zones. The Red Cross not only wants to supply emergency aid, but also school supplies, teaching material and vocational training.