Cougar Radio’s Staff Talent Show has been cancelled due to lack of student and faculty participation.

Response for the Feb. 7 show was minimal, and organizers moved back the date by a few weeks to await additional responses. No acts signed up, and two out of seven scheduled acts backed out due to a scheduling error. With only five acts, organizers said they had no choice but to cancel.

The show was meant to be a fundraiser for Timmy Ward, 16, of Canton, Pa., who has Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  Funds were targeted to help pay for Ward’s treatments.

“I’m really sad it had to be cancelled,” said Kailene Nye, Cougar Radio Music Director. “I think it could have been a really fun night for students, staff, and faculty to unwind for a couple hours and just have fun. It was also going to be a fundraiser for a high school student with cancer, so it would have been for a great cause and it’s just sad that there wasn’t enough interest to make it happen.”

A talent show of this nature was once very successful, and organizers intended this show to be a return of an old concept.

“Years ago, there was a talent show put on by the faculty and staff called Faculty Follies, and this group was hoping to bring it back,” explained Darcy Brodmerkel, Director of Student Engagement.

Nye said organizers plan to try again, but this time organizers will plan strategically.

“I think the key for us will be to get interest ahead of time so that when we got to start planning the show, we can be sure we have enough participants,” Nye said.

She added that success truly relies upon faculty and staff.

“I think a lot of people were afraid and or felt they had no talent, so hopefully next time we can really spend more time reaching out to more staff and faculty so we can have a solid shot of having a talent show.“