After a week filled with community service, philanthropic activities and competitive games, the members of Sigma Chi Fraternity have proven successful at mastering the balance of working hard and playing hard. Last week, Sigma Chi Fraternity hosted "Derby Days," a series of events that members of the fraternity and a number of sororities participated in to raise money for a good cause. This year's goal was to raise $2,000 for the Children's Miracle Network and after sponsorship outreach, the auctioning off of fraternity men and other fundraising efforts, Sigma Chi President Erik Till said the fraternity surpassed its goal. "We raised more than $3,000 for our charity," Till said. "It went above and beyond all of our expectations." He said the participants racked up more than 1,000 community service hours. On Saturday, in celebration of a week of hard work, Sigma Chi hosted a number of games that members of the Pan-Hellenic sororities competed in to earn points and win prizes. Till said his fraternity will award $1,000 to the sorority that earned the most points at the event. To top off the day's festivities, Sigma Chi had planned to put on a concert. However, in light of the recent death of Sigma Pi resident Kurt Baker, Chapter Editor Max Malanga said the fraternity felt it was inappropriate. "Instead of celebrating and partying, we'd rather promote awareness," Malanga said. "We wanted to use that money for a better cause." By forgoing the concert, Sigma Chi was able to save $2,000, which it plans to donate to The Palavra Tree Inc., a local drug and alcohol prevention and treatment center geared toward at-risk adolescents. Malanga said the fraternity was considering donating the money to a national alcohol and drug awareness program but decided on this organization in order to make a greater impact in the San Diego area. Sigma Chi Judicial Chair Tyler Boden said the decision to cancel the concert was an act of leadership made out of the fraternity's commitment to shedding a positive light on the Greek community and helping others. "Within my fraternity and within the entire Greek system, I want to promote a positive image for what we stand for and the way we conduct ourselves," Boden said. "We take every step we can to lead, and we were in a perfect situation to choose philanthropy."
GREEK BEAT: Sigma Chi chooses charity over a concert
Published: Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Updated: Sunday, October 12, 2008
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