The profits earned at Casino! are usually donated to local food banks, homeless shelters and after-school programs, but organizers this year decided to aid the relief after the suggestion was made to Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Activities and the Campus Center Samuel Haynes by one of his staff members. "Casino! is a long tradition and a lot of students attend, so [co-chair] Leigh [Rivlin '07] and I thought that it would be a good idea to donate to the tsunami relief effort," said Bryn Pallesen '07, co-chair.
Although the Casino! chairs opted not to donate proceeds to local charities, students decided that it is the act of giving, and not the exact charity, that matters. "Regardless of whether money is going to the homeless or tsunami victims, I think donating to charity is always a good thing to do," said Jennifer Suh '08. "I also don't think that the destination of the funds impacted students' decisions to attend the event."
Despite the danger of losing money, students said that donating to charity eased the concern. "Casino! Night was for a good cause, so I felt that most people didn't hold back as much as they would have when it came to spending money and taking chances," said Suh.
David Jou '07 agreed that the destination of the money raised was not important, stating that the amount of donated money was what counted. "In the end, the amount raised is probably more important than where it's being spent," he said. "That being the case, if the tsunami relief effort helped to bring in more people and raise more funds, then it was probably a good idea."
Students also expressed the belief that the media coverage of the tsunami contributed to the reality of the event. "I think the fact that funds went to tsunami victims helped make donating more real, since it's been covered in the media so extensively," said Suh.
Craver echoed Suh, stating that donating to tsunami relief efforts was a good idea "because of the current situation in the world."
Pallesen felt that the event allowed the College to play an important role in the community. "I just think that it is really important for the Amherst College community to reach out and take action in response to national and international events," she said.
Rivlin and Pallesen said they believe Casino! raised approximately $3,000, an amount similar to the proceeds raised at Casino! in recent years.
Some students attended in casual clothes while others took the time to arrive in glittering dresses despite the cold. Still other students dressed in clothes that could be considered a bit more than semi-formal. Students who attended the event paid $12 in advance or $14 at the door.
Valentine Mezzanine offered roulette and blackjack while several games of poker took place on the main floor. The West section offered a 21-plus champagne room as well. Winners had the option of donating the extra money, buying raffle tickets or cashing out.
For many, Casino! was entertaining because of its semi-formal environment. "I thought Casino! was a good idea, since it's an opportunity for us to have fun in a semi-formal setting," said Sarah Craver '08. "We don't have semi-formal dances often, and they're a lot of fun!"
Jou liked that Casino! provided a contrast from average weekends at the College. "I think it's a good idea because it helps to create a fun and different type of social scene that is usually not found on a typical Amherst weekend," he said. "Plus, it's a great way to play cards with your friends and people you normally wouldn't play with in a setting other than your dorm room."
Despite the overall praise for Casino!, some students did not attend because the cost of a ticket seemed too high. "I had challenge matches [for tennis] the next day so I could have only gone for an hour and $14 seemed like a lot of money for an hour," said Tristan Hedrick '05.
Brandon Jones '08 agreed. "I didn't want to pay $12," he said. "I thought I could do other things to donate to tsunami [victims.]"