Communication in Small Groups and Teams students will hold silent auction Saturday to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Making Strides has been working throughout the semester to meet their $1,500 fundraising goal for with their event “Art for MS.”

“Art for MS” will be held at the F.J. Kluth Gallery at 300 N. Water Street, Suite 1, Kent, Ohio 44240. The event starts at 2 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m. There will be a silent auction, as well as a raffle for art, and baskets donated by local Kent businesses. Kent State University students created the art that will be featured in the auction. F.J. Kluth Gallery Owner John Kluth will also be donating some of his person art to be auctioned off at the event. All proceeds will go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Tickets for the event are $5 and raffle tickets will be sold for $1 each.

“Nobody has ever done an art show before,” Making Strides member and communications student Hillary Walker, said. “People have done silent auctions and raffles, but it’s never been an art show like this, so it’s kind of different.”

The group is made up of Communications Studies students that are currently taking the Communication in Small Group and Teams course at Kent State University. Rebecca Cline teaches the course, offered to Communications Studies juniors and seniors from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays.

“The first thing [the groups] are assigned to do is to identify a population in dire need that they want to help. I really encourage them to think about what they’re passionate about, because they’re going to do a lot of work, and it gets hard,” Cline said. “What I want to help carry them through when it gets difficult is that they care about the population that they’re trying to help.”

Art for MS hits home for Making Strides team member and senior public communications major Joey Keger.

“My brother actually has Multiple Sclerosis, so my biggest thing is trying to get a lot of money to be able to donate to help others,” Keger said.

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that attacks the nerves in the brain, spinal cord and eyes, which could eventually cause speech problems, bladder problems, blindness and an array of mental health and mobility issues. Right now, there is no known cure for MS, but there are treatment options available.

“I’m quite honored for the fact that [Making Strides] chose my gallery for this cause,” Kluth said. “When we use art for [this] purpose, it’s good.”

Contact Alexandra Taylor a [email protected].