As the end of the semester approaches and the sports for Southern slowly crawl to a stop, some athletes, get ready for the opportunity to converge on the Corley Auditorium stage for the third annual All Athlete Talent Show.  

An event put on by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), the talent show is a way for Missouri Southern to help Division II schools around the country raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  

“Every school in Division II pledges at least a thousand dollars,” Missouri Southern SAAC representative Sam Pogue said

“But we usually go above and beyond that. We do various things throughout the year to get that and this is kind of our headliner.”

The event will be held on Monday, April 29, at 7 p.m. and admittance for those looking for some silly entertainment is only $1,  as the money goes directly to Make-A-Wish Foundation fund.  But Pogue made it clear that any donations above a single dollar would be more than appreciated.

Judges for the talent show will range from various Southern assistant coaches, to members from community, helping to bring in more people and get the city of Joplin involved to raise as much money as possible.

“This usually brings in somewhere between $350 to $500,” Pogue said.

“So we normally have a turnout of about 300 people, so it is pretty cool.”

With the women’s track team sweeping the last two years of events with a “glow stick dance” from last year to take honors, those from last year are eager to see what this year has to offer.

“It was really fun last year,”

Senior Zach Brasher said. “So I can’t wait to see what will goes down this time around.”

Pogue and the rest of the SAAC members from Southern look to the event with high expectations, and not only with the Lions involved, they look for support from outside as well.

“We are reaching to the community and having people from the Joplin area come in and watch and donate,” Pogue said.

“Students, athletes, coaches, families, friends, it is open to everyone.”