Theta Chi fraternity raised money for charity at a party on Saturday, and Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII) sorority will host its own philanthropic social event tonight, as both groups have looked to blend what the campus sees as the Greek community's knack for partying with its traditional value of philanthropy.
Theta Chi hosted its Red Party to raise awareness and money for the American Heart Association (AHA), an organization that has a special connection to the fraternity, according to sophomore Max Chalkin, Theta Chi philanthropy chair.
"We had a brother not too many years back who lost his mother to heart disease," Chalkin said. "Ever since then, we've done charity work for the American Heart Association."
The alcohol-free event, which approximately 100 people attended, raised about $1,500 for the AHA. Chalkin feels the event was a success because it set a positive standard for charitable endeavors in the future.
"I would say it [was] a success much less in the amount of money we raised than the precedent we set by hosting a dry fundraising event on a Saturday night," Chalkin said. "Experimenting with things like this will help bring the Greek community back into Tufts' better graces."
Junior Jessica Snow, vice president of public relations for the Inter-Greek Council, agreed with Chalkin. "This [was] a very interesting event because it's incorporated the way the campus usually feels about the Greek community - partying and having a great time on a Saturday night - with volunteer service," Snow said.
In addition to charging a $5 entrance fee and selling raffle tickets, brothers raised money by shaving their heads for every $100 raised.
AOII will host its annual fundraiser for arthritis research tonight with the "Mr. Fraternity Strikes Out Arthritis" event at 10 p.m. in Hotung Café. The event is designed as a pageant: Female judges from Tufts sororities will select one "Mr. Fraternity" from a group of male contestants from seven
fraternities.
The multiple rounds of competition include a question-and-answer session as well as "Greek Wear" and "Formal Wear" fashion shows. Different judges will be scoring each round, but the audience will cast the votes that determine the winner.
The $2 admission fee garners one vote, and subsequent votes cost an extra dollar each. There will also be a raffle in which audience members can win Red Sox tickets. All money raised from the event will go toward juvenile arthritis research, AOII's international philanthropy.
Sophomore Elizabeth Schauber, vice president of communications for AOII, is optimistic that the event will be a success. "This is our first year [hosting an event like this], but hopefully we'll be able to turn it into an annual event," she said. "We're going to gauge the success of it."
The sorority hopes to earn at least $500 at the fundraiser, an estimate based on the amount raised at its philanthropy event this previous fall. "We're expecting more people to show up to this one," Schauber said.
The scheduling of the event has a special significance, according to Snow. "It's going to be during April Open House," she said. "We want to show that the Greek community is a presence on campus."
Snow hopes that the AOII event will also help reinforce a positive image of Tufts' Greeks in the greater community. "The more that we can show that Greek life exists outside of Friday and Saturday nights, the better the image of Greek life will be in general."
Schauber agreed. "It could help foster Greek relations between chapters as well as relations between Greeks and non-Greeks on campus," she said. "Anyone is allowed to come and vote for their friends who are in it."
