Love Your Melon is the Campus Org. Spotlight! The national apparel brand is dedicated to giving a hat to every child battling pediatric cancer in America. At UNH, a group of about 30 caring, kind women volunteer and spread the word to buy beanies and fight cancer! The Exec. Team includes Callie Burns (President) , Kayla Mattucci (VP), Kristina Redmond (Secretary), and Lindsay Bosworth (PR). Read what they have to say about the LYM Crew at UNH!
Hi ladies! What year are you guys? And, what are your majors, hometowns, and other campus orgs?
Callie: I’m a senior HDFS Major in the P-3 program, which is a program that allows me to become certified to teach elementary education when I graduate! I’m from Westbrook, CT and I’m also one of the captains of the club tennis team.
Kayla: I am a junior Human Development major with a concentration in Lifespan Development and a minor in English. I am from Melrose, MA. Other than LYM, I am part of the women’s club ice hockey team and serve as an executive board member on the team. Also I am a brother of Alpha Phi Omega.
Kristina: I am a junior Nutrition/Dietetics major! I am from Wakefield, MA.
Lindsay: I am a junior Biomedical Science Major from St. Petersburg, FL. Other than LYM, I am a part of Chi Omega here on campus!
Can you talk about your role/contributions for LYM?
Callie: There’s a bunch of responsibilities that come with being crew captain, such as keeping in touch with the national headquarters, communicating with hospitals, Ronald McDonald Houses, and our superhero families, running meetings, contacting other clubs for events, putting in orders for promotional materials, and keeping track of our success as a crew overall!
Kayla: I help organize any promotional tables we hold around campus. I also run the Be The Match bone marrow drives we partner with. I help Callie with whatever else she may need me to do, along with helping run the crew meetings.
Kristina: I keep track of points, take attendance, and book crew meetings! The point system determines which crew members can partake in our visits to the hospitals.
Lindsay: My role is to be in charge of the social media outlets for the club and market and spread the word of our organization!
What does having the LYM Crew at UNH mean to you?
Callie: When I saw an ad on Facebook advertising for students to start up a campus crew, I was hooked! I looked into the amazing things the organization does for children with cancer and I knew that I wanted to represent LYM in some way on campus. We applied to start a crew on our campus two years ago and when we got it, I was so excited to start making an impact. When our crew started visiting hospitals, Ronald McDonald Houses, and meeting our amazing superhero, Ady, I realized how much Love Your Melon really meant to me. Being a part of the crew really opened my eyes to the impact that spreading LYM’s mission can have on people affected by cancer.
Kayla: Being a part of something bigger than myself is such a rewarding and often humbling feeling! To see the differences we are able to make as a campus crew is remarkable. Last year, my friends and I decided to start this crew and we have been blown away by how much support and interest we have received from the community. Everyone has been affected by cancer in some way and that is something that connects all of us together. Starting this club at the beginning of last year, I had not yet experienced how much of an impact this would have on my life. Last year, my dad was diagnosed with cancer and being able to help support this cause really meant a lot to both my family and I. This crew has such a meaningful and loving cause behind it and that is why I love being a part of this awesome organization!
Kristina: I never really knew what LYM was all about until Callie had asked me if I would be interested in bringing LYM to UNH. I quickly found out that it is much more than a trendy apparel brand. Although LYM has cute beanies, LYM also donates half of its proceeds to pediatric cancer research, major nonprofits, pediatric cancer patients, and helps its crews make a difference in the life of cancer patients. Everyone has been affected by cancer one way or another. Many of my close family members have fought the battle against cancer, so this disease hits very close to home for me. LYM has allowed me to raise awareness and help those with and affected by cancer.
Lindsay: To me, LYM is an amazing organization! They work so hard to put a smile on the faces of children, who are so strong and have so much to deal with. No child should have to face what some of the kids go through. As a part of Chi Omega, I work closely with Make-A-Wish, another organization that works closely with pediatric cancer and illness. It is great to see what they both do for the cause.
What’s your fav activity or event you do with the Crew?
Callie: My favorite activity is definitely connecting with our superhero, Ady! Ady is an eight year old girl diagnosed with Leukemia and we quickly bonded with her after meeting her for the first time. She loves the patriots, US women’s soccer, gymnastics and baking. Our crew was able to volunteer at a winter ball fundraiser for Ady last year and met so many amazing individuals that we still talk to today! We also brought Ady to a UNH gymnastics meet last year where she walked out with the gymnasts and sat with the team, cheering them on all day. I LOVE being able to see her and her family whenever we can and putting a smile on their faces!
Kayla: Out of all the events we have done through Love Your Melon, I would have to say the most rewarding one has been when our crew volunteered at our superhero Ady’s Winter Ball. All the proceeds they received went directly to Ady and her family. It was so eye opening to see how strong her loved one’s were and how the whole community was able to come together in support of her. Everyone was in such high spirits and so kind to all of our crew members, often telling us how thankful they were for us to spend our Saturday night with them. The whole event just meant so much to everyone and it was just such a great experience to be a part of!
Kristina: My favorite thing we have done with Love Your Melon so far was making a care package for our crews superhero Ady! Our crew was rewarded for hitting a certain credit level so we were able to go out and buy Ady so many of her favorite things! It was so much fun to go out shopping for a variety of different things that we knew would definitely put a smile on Ady’s face. We got her children’s books written by her favorite soccer player, Alex Morgan, a chef’s outfit, a children’s baking cookbook, a variety of arts and crafts, and of course some UNH gear!
Lindsay: My favorite thing we have done is hospital visits and events with our superhero Addy! It’s great to see the first hand impact we have on these children through this organization.
Of the beanies you have, what’s your fav color?!
Callie: I love my bright white beanie because it goes with everything, but I definitely want to get a headband soon!
Kayla: I love my maroon beanie! I can often be seen sporting it around campus during our cold winters here. Definitely the most comfortable beanie I have! Everything LYM sells is so comfortable and trendy to wear around and you support a good cause at the same time!
Kristina: My favorite beanie is my cream colored beanie! I wear it all the time because it keeps me warm when walking to my classes and the color goes with whatever I have on that day.
Lindsay: My favorite beanie is my black pom beanie!
Look out for LYM events on campus! Be sure to follow their Insta @unh_lymcrew and like them on Facebook @unhloveyourmelon for great pics and info on upcoming projects!
Also, surf the Love Your Melon website and take part in a great cause! Buy beanies, fight cancer!!