The Loyola Bateman Team Campaign ended last Wednesday with the team’s work paying off, they say.

The Bateman Case Study Competition is the Public Relations Student Society of America’s annual case competition, according to the Loyola Bateman team’s Web site. This year’s client was FamilyCareGiving101.org and the campaign, which began in the fall, is titled “Family care giving … It’s not all up to you.”

André Breaux, mass communication junior, is a member of the Bateman team and said this year’s campaign was particularly challenging compared to previous years.

“Loyola has placed nationally for past seven years. We’re hoping to live up to the standards and precedents that have been set,” he said.

The campaign for this year’s competition was a unique experience for the Bateman team, old and new members alike.

“For the purpose of the competition, (a family care giver) is an adult taking care of a sick or aging family member,” Breaux said. This was a poignant issue for the students, one Breaux calls a “social phenomenon.”

“One of the issues in general is that some people don’t realize they really are a family care giver. It’s important for them to be aware,” he said. Family care givers often provide billions of dollars worth of healthcare for loved ones without even knowing it, said Breaux.

The client for this campaign, FamilyCareGiver101.org, helps give these individuals the assistance they may need. “(The Web site) helps family care givers help themselves while helping others,” Breaux said.

The goal of this year’s campaign was get as many students as possible to refer a family care giver to the client’s Web site. According to the Bateman team’s Web site, “a ‘team25’ tag at the end of the team’s specific URL (http://www.familycaregiving101.org/team25) will help track the number of Web hits their campaign motivates.”

Throughout February, the Bateman team worked to inform people both on and off campus about this issue.

“We’ve partnered with the Council on Aging, the Jewish Community Center and had presentations at Oschner. It’s given me a change to step outside of the Loyola community into the greater New Orleans Community,” Breaux said. The Bateman team also got Mayor Ray Nagin to proclaim Feb. 28 Care Givers’ Day.

The team will create a book this month outlining results of the campaign. While the number of students to visit the Web site at the team’s referral is currently unknown, Breaux feels confident with their progress.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve done. Win or lose, this campaign is a good mission.”

Barbie Cure can be reached at [email protected].