On Wednesday evening the cool surface of Munn Ice Arena will feature brooms and tennis shoes instead of hockey sticks and ice skates.
The Pi Beta Phi sorority will host its annual broomball philanthropy event from midnight to 2 a.m., in which eight fraternities and eight sororities will compete in a single-elimination tournament until a winner is crowned.
All of the proceeds will benefit Pi Beta Phi’s Links to Literacy, a national philanthropic organization that provides funds for literacy programs, said Jessica McDonald, the sorority’s philanthropy chair and a marketing junior.
The literacy program was founded in 1990.
Emily Stachowski, Pi Beta Phi president, said Links to Literacy encompasses a range of activities like book drives and volunteer tutoring.
“The event is a great way to bring together the greek community to work toward our philanthropy,” said Stachowski, a human resources senior. “We’re hoping to raise anywhere between $500 and $1,000.”
“It’s going to be an interactive event between fraternities and sororities, so we can get to know one another while we are playing,” McDonald said. “I’m definitely excited about it, I think there’s going to be a really great turnout.”
McDonald said the money they are raising for charity will be a great opportunity to give something back to the community and improve the community’s impression of the greek system.
As part of the event, the ice will be split in half so two games can take place at once, she said. The format will be similar to hockey but without ice skates, with brooms, not sticks and with a ball, not a puck.
“I encourage anyone to come out and cheer on the players,” McDonald said. “Even though it’s kind of late.”
Food was donated by Domino’s Pizza, 966 Trowbridge Road, and refreshments by the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Michigan, 3300 S. Creyts Road in Lansing.
Billy Molasso, assistant director of Student Life and greek adviser, said last year the tournament went really well.
“Broomball has been very successful at Munn Ice Arena,” Molasso said. “We don’t do very many events there, so I think it might be a great draw for a great cause.”
Many of MSU’s sororities have national philanthropies which are pilot organizations for special projects. Links to Literacy has been an established charity on campus for years, Molasso said.
