What started as a college party has turned into an annual fundraiser that raises tens of thousands of dollars for educational resources in third world countries.
“It didn't start out as a planned thing,” said Kellen Manley (BA ’06, Film Video & Media Studies). “We didn't sit around saying 'what can we do that would be really cool?' It was just a thing we started doing, and realized that we could actually make it into something, so since then, we've really been pushing to help Lifeline Energy. It's just all come together really organically."
In 2004, WMU students Manley, Kevin Turk (BBA '06, Accounting), Kris Petro (BA '05, Communication), Tim Kelley (BBA '06, Accountancy), Phil Krall (BA '04, Art), and Will Robertz (BS '07, Industrial Technology Education) were hanging out at a student rental on Minor Street in the Vine Neighborhood. It was April Fool’s Day, and the group sat around watching Tom Hanks movies all afternoon. Jokingly, they told a few people it was Tom Hanks Day. Little did they know they were starting something big.
For the next few years, April 1 become synonymous with Tom Hanks. Tee shirts were designed, kegs were purchased, and bands set up to play in the basement of wherever the party was to be held. It wasn't until year four that everything changed.
"We were just a bunch of guys, sitting around a college house, watching movies. We never thought that it would turn into an annual fundraiser. We never even thought Tom would find out, or that we would get to meet him back stage on Broadway,” said Turk. “The fact that he sends us stuff every year still surprises me."
Turk got a call from Tom Hanks' 'people.' It turns out the actor loved the idea and sent a box of autographed memorabilia for the party. The group decided that instead of keeping the stuff, they would sell raffle tickets and donate the proceeds to a charity for which Hanks is the U.S. Ambassador, Lifeline Energy. Lifeline Energy provides off-grid educational initiatives, most notably a solar, hand-crank radio/light that allows children in third world countries access to better educational opportunities.
It was a hit. The group, who had at this point all graduated from WMU, moved the annual event to Chicago, where it garnered national media attention from CNN, TMZ, and was also picked up by local Chicago media outlets.
In 2013, the man himself sent Turk a few tickets to a performance of his Broadway show, Lucky Guy, and Turk, Manley, and Petro had their chance to meet Hanks and talk Tom Hanks Day (pictured above L to R: Turk, Petro, Hanks, and Manley).
“I remember waiting around anxiously back stage, wondering if we were actually going to get to talk to him, and then all of sudden, there he was!” said Manley. “He introduced us to some other people backstage, including Hank Aaron, and then we took some pictures and talked with him for a bit. It was definitely one of the more exciting moments of my life.”
It wasn't a huge surprise when people started asking about having Tom Hanks Day parties of their own, and it was at that point Turk, Manley, and Petro knew that what they were doing had truly become something 'big.'
In early 2014, a Kickstarter campaign was launched to redesign the website to allow anyone, anywhere, to organize and promote their very own Tom Hanks Day, while ensuring all proceeds would be donated to Lifeline Energy. With a week left to hit the mark, the $9000 goal was met. Now, anyone will be able to host their very own Tom Hanks Day, beginning this year on April 12.
"I think that for us, it's been a great way to stay in touch with our friends,” said Petro. “The added bonus is that we are raising money in a really neat way, and now anyone, anywhere, can do the same thing."
The campaign was featured on ABC's Good Morning America, and Manley was recently featured on Kalamazoo's WWMT Channel 3 weekend morning show.
To learn more about Tom Hanks Day or Lifeline Energy, please follow the links below:
WWMT- Tom Hanks Day Interview with Kellen Manley