Students strut their stuff in date auction at IMU Gallery

As soon as his name was called, Angelo Perez strutted toward the center of the floor, took off his brown jacket and whipped it over his right shoulder. The overhead lights reflected off his gelled mohawk as he pulled bright red flowers out of his back pocket. Perez confidently posed as the emcee read a short biography about him, in hopes it would inspire someone to shell out some cash. Once the emcee finished and the music faded, the bidding began.\nPerez was one of many men and women up for auction at the third annual "Love Don't Cost a Thing" date auction, sponsored by Latinos Unidos and the Filipino Student Association. The event was held Thursday night in the Indiana Memorial Union Gallery. \nWhile Perez enjoyed the spotlight during his introduction, the freshman was not so confident when he stood in the middle of the room and the emcees searched for bidders.\n"I was kind of nervous when it was quiet for a long time," he said. "I just went up there to have fun."\nSophomore Veronica Ramos, Perez's highest bidder, said she was impressed with his act. \n"It kicked ass," Ramos said, tightly holding her new red flowers. \nRamos said she was proud to win the auction for her friend Perez, but she was also happy the money would go to a good cause. \nThe $21 Ramos paid for Perez will be split between Latinos Unidos, the Filipino Student Association and the Bloomington Soup Kitchen.\nPerez wasn't the only potential date with a case of stage fright. \nFreshman Melissa Decal was also jittery when her name was called, even though she had participated in a date auction before.\n"I didn't know what to do," she said. "This dude taught me how to dance, but I didn't do that. If you just look at the people you know, (the nervousness) eases."\nAlso nervous was her winning bidder and friend Jordan Frey. \n"It's a little awkward because you're being put on the spot," the sophomore said about making a bid. "I had no idea what to expect, and for a while, there we were, stuck in the front row."\nFrey paid $15 for a date with Decal. \nElizabeth Trevino, Latinos Unidos' president, said she hopes the event raises more than the $430 raised last year. \n"Our Latino community on campus is really small, and we don't get as much money as we'd like to," Trevino said. \nFriday night, all of the couples will have their dates at a party for the daters at El Norteno. The event is open to the public with a $1 donation or a canned good.