The Grand Valley State University Student Senate announced Saturday it collected $12,500 in this year’s Battle of the Valleys competition.

However, only $3,000 of the money will be donated to the Student Advancement Foundation of Grand Rapids, which will use it to purchase physical education and art supplies for more than 30 public elementary, middle and high schools in Grand Rapids.

Natalie Cleary, Student Senate vice president of public relations, said the senate needed to use the remaining $9,500 to cover the expenses mostly from unsold T-shirts.

“Student Senate was able to raise approximately $12,500, however that is the total revenue number and some of that goes back to paying for expenses, namely the cost of T-shirts,” Cleary said. “After covering the cost of expenses, all the money earned, approximately $3,000, will go to charity.”

GVSU’s $12,500 in raised funds was not nearly enough to defeat cross-state rival Saginaw Valley State University, which raised $40,088 for the Salvation Army of Saginaw. At $27,588, SVSU’s margin of victory was the largest in the competition’s seven-year history and gave the Cardinals a victory for the third consecutive year. SVSU’s $40,088 was the second-largest BOTV effort in competition history – in 2008, the Cardinals raised $47,278 for Habitat for Humanity.

GVSU’s $12,500 effort was the lowest Laker effort since raising $7,327 for the Make a Wish foundation in 2005.

Student Senate President Jarrett Martus said he was disappointed with the relatively low dollar amount, but he was even more disappointed with the lack of participation among GVSU students.

“It’s a different time of year typically when we do this event — that might have had something to do with the low participation we had this year,” he said. “We didn’t sell as many T-shirts as we had in the past – we had a lot left. It seemed like a lot of students were out of debit dollars already, or they didn’t have the money this year.”

Student Senate will compile information on leftover supplies and total participation today.

Martus said one of the biggest reasons for SVSU’s large victory is it has the community support and business sponsorships that GVSU has not been able to garner. The Student Senate sends out packets with charity information and opportunities for businesses to get their logos printed on the BOTV shirts, but Campus View Apartments served as the only sponsor for GVSU this year.

“That’s a big thing for Saginaw is that they have total support from businesses in the community and sponsorships,” he said. “We’ve tried (to get sponsorships) in the last few years, but it just hasn’t worked out. I thought this year’s charity alone would help to garner support from the business because it was the greater Grand Rapids area that it was affecting. It didn’t seem to pull businesses in, so it’s something we have to look at as we figure out what to do next year.”

Cleary said although the Cardinals came away with the victory in the competition, the biggest winners are the two organizations that will benefit from the money raised.

“The important thing to remember about the ‘battle’ is that both charities picked by the universities win,” she said. “Saginaw may have raised more money this year, but the Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation will receive $3,000 because of Grand Valley’s efforts.”

SVSU now leads GVSU 5-3 in all-time BOTV competition.

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