By Tommy Stuart

Fasting during Ramadan is a tradition for Muslims, but this Thursday the Muslim Student Association calls upon students of all faiths to join them in fasting for a good cause.

The third annual Fast-A-Thon will be held Thursday to benefit the Violence Intervention and Prevention Center.

“I think students will find the Fast-A-Thon a lot different than the normal campus activity,” said Matt Longacre, president of the MSA.

The fasting lasts from the first light of dawn until sunset. At 7 p.m., students are to meet in the Student Center Grand Ballroom to listen to guest speakers and enjoy free food with fellow fasters, Longacre said.

The list of speakers includes a representative from the VIP Center and Alauddin Alauddin, a Muslim scholar.

The expectation of the Fast-A-Thon is that students will pledge to abstain from food, liquid and smoke, according to UK’s Office of International Affairs Web site.

Longacre hopes fasting will open many students’ eyes to new perspectives regarding what it is like to be a Muslim.

Around 500 people are expected to participate this year, a 200-person increase from last year, Longacre said.

“This year will just be bigger, with new, different viewpoints,” he said.  “We have speakers, administration involvement and hopefully good food.”

Student Activities Board members will attend, Longacre said.

Student Government President Ryan Smith and SG Vice President Kelsey Hayes, along with a few other representatives will attend, Smith said.

Smith said the event will be a TallyCats event and he will be speaking briefly.

All individuals participating in the event will be encouraged to donate the amount of money they would have spent on lunch for the day to the cause.  In return, every participant will get free food and a Fast-A-Thon T-shirt.

Donations this year will go to the VIP Center, which gives the proceeds to the Victim Assistance Fund, an organization that helps women who have fled homes of sexual violence.

“The Victim Assistance Fund was chosen because it was cut from university funding a while back,” Longacre said. “And any program that can help uplift the community is one that deserves our help.”

No matter what religious belief a student holds, Longacre said he hopes all will feel welcome to participate in the Fast-a-Thon.

“The key to success for an event like this is student involvement, so I invite everyone considering this to come out and join us,” Longacre said.