This past February, Brandeis hosted Daffodil Days, a fundraiser to benefit The American Cancer Society, according to Michelle Stoisits '11, a coordinator for the Waltham Group Community Connections program. The event raised $2,214, exceeding its fundraising goal by nearly $1,000. Daffodil Days, which is a fundraiser hosted by universities nationwide, was organized at Brandeis this year by Alyssa Cooke, a member of the Employee Relations and Employment sector of the Office of Human Resources, and the three coordinators of Community Connections: Stoisits, Dana Bahir '12 and Zoe Ollagnon '13. Cooke acted as a liaison between the American Cancer Society and Community Connections, passing along information and marketing ideas.

In an interview with the Justice, Stoisits explained that Community Connections is a "unique program [whose] mission isn't one specific target," and the group focuses on performing various community service activities for communities that are not serviced by other Waltham groups.

Community Connections primarily organizes the service fair at Brandeis and focuses on "one-time volunteer events."

Brandeis first became involved with Daffodil Days over a decade ago after a former employee lost a relative to cancer, Cooke wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.

Fundraiser participants sell various daffodil arrangements, ranging in price from $10 to $15, which donors can purchase and have delivered to campus for pickup, said Stoisits. It also offers the option of "gifts for hope, which [sends the flowers] to local cancer patients" via anonymous donation.

After raising $1,087 from the campaign last year, Community Connections hoped to raise more money, so they set a higher goal of $1,250 for 2011. However, their final total was "above and beyond our expectations," Stoisits said.

Cooke attributed the fundraiser's success, in part, to the economy's growing health. "Due to the economy during the past few years, donations . [have] declined. I think our turnout is a true testament [that] confirms that the economy is getting better," she wrote.

The American Cancer Society's new "user-friendly website, which allowed people to navigate smoothly, donate online and view team progress" was another contributing factor to their success, wrote Cooke. This made it possible for students, faculty and staff to donate money at their own convenience.

Cooke and Stoisits both agreed that the communication and advertising of Daffodil Days was better this year, which they believe helped the large increase in donations. Stoisits noted that Community Connections took advantage of many different methods of communication. For example, they placed posters around campus, e-mailed listservs, used Student Union announcements and advertised on Facebook. This was all in addition to putting fliers in student mailboxes and tabling in the Usdan Student Center, with which Colleges Against Cancer, another University program, assisted.

The "overwhelming success" of this year has left Cooke with hope for the future: "As long as we continue with an effective [communication] process, I am sure each goal will be met in the years to come.