Fran Pope, a recent addition to the MU faculty, has been working this year to increase membership in MT4T by setting up booths at the Activities Mart, football games and the Columbia Twilight Festival.

MT4T is open to all residents of Columbia, and the student chapter is not limited to MU.

"By promoting our mascot, the tiger, [MT4T] brings people to conservation efforts that might not be drawn into them," Pope said.

The club is trying to raise funds through various philanthropy methods.

Delta Upsilon fraternity sponsored a carwash for MT4T that raised $140 in proceeds and $200 from Delta Upsilon donations.

On Saturday, MT4T and the Sinclair School of Nursing are sponsoring the Nursing Tigers Back to Health Walk-a-Thon. Truman the Tiger will kick of the walk, which will begin at Peace Park, go through the Katy Trail and end at Stadium Boulevard. Registration begins at 8 a.m. in Peace Park.

All Columbia residents are welcome to participate. A minimum registration fee of $10 is required. Pope said she encourages campus organizations to form teams. Fraternities and sororities, residence halls and campus clubs can compete for the added bonus of a six-person pizza party at Shakespeare's Pizza.

The top fund-raisers will receive prizes, including gift certificates for haircuts, area restaurants, flowers, video rentals and free rounds of golf.

All money raised from the event will be given directly to tiger conservation projects instead of Columbia's MT4T chapter. Some projects include providing alternate fuel sources for homes to stop destruction of tiger habitat, funding population studies and enforcing anti-poaching laws.

MT4T is also sponsoring a raffle for a large stuffed tiger donated by the University Book Store. Tickets can be purchased for $2 at MU home football games.


Story originally posted 10/11/02

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