Southwest Hall put on their annual cake walk on Nov. 1. The cake walk has been going on since Southwest Hall first opened their doors in 2006. Each year the cake walk acts as a fundraiser for a different charity in the community. This year, proceeds went to the Dubuque Regional Humane Society.

“I like that we’re donating to the humane society.  It’s a great way to bring friends together,” junior elementary education major Robyn Maxey said.

The “cake walk” was a circle of 25 different numbered spots. In each round, participants would walk in the circle to a minute’s worth of music. Once the music stopped, participants would cross the circle to find a new spot and wait for the winning number to be announced.

“Participants moved across the circle as a fun way to mix things up and so they could pick their number, rather than being stuck with the one they landed on. It was all up to chance which number was drawn, so it was fun to let people choose their square. They always had the opportunity to stay in the same place if they wanted,” Southwest Hall resident director Emily Harris said.

Each round cost people 50 cents and by 7:30 p.m., a half hour after the starting time, 19 rounds had taken place. The cake walk offered specialty rounds such as a “premium round.”  It cost $1 to walk that round, and the winners were able to pick from more decadent baked goods.

“You know how chocolate chip cookies are everyday [desserts]? In the premium round you can get scotcharoos. Those are pretty high end,” junior industrial technology management major Matt Miller said.

The fundraiser had 70 desserts that were donated. Each year the Southwest Hall staff members promote the event by posting posters around the building urging students to donate baked goods or the supplies to help make them.

“A lot of us [resident assistants] had bake nights as wing events. So, a lot of us got our residents to bake treats with us,” Maxey said.  “I made three desserts that night.”

After the winners were announced, they were ushered into a separate room that held all the goods. Every dessert was labeled with their ingredients and whether or not they were allergen free. This was a decision made by the Southwest Hall staff after the increased food concerns on campus.

“My favorite part is seeing all the people who win and watching them choose desserts,” senior soil and crop science major Katie Chipman said.