The campus greek system has existed for 130 years, and part of that tradition, the Greek Week celebration, will return Sunday.
Billy Molasso assistant director of Student Life, said Greek Week is based around leadership, scholarship, friendship and service.
“Over the last five years, Greek Week has evolved a great deal,” he said. “We are light-years ahead of previous Greek Weeks because we are so much more organized and focused on the ultimate goal of serving the community.”
All of the money raised from the activities will be given to Coaches for Kids, Haven House, Special Olympics/United Way and Verlinden Elementary School in Lansing.
There are 14 teams participating, each with one sorority and two fraternities. Teams get points for winning events and for attendance.
On Sunday, teams will participate in field events from to noon to 4 p.m. at the Valley Court field, which is located behind the corner of Abbott Road and Grand River Avenue.
Adrienne Lessard assistant director for Kickoff Day, said field events don’t include fund raising, but they still are an important part of Greek Week.
“It’s just a time when everyone can play outside and have fun,” she said.
The MTV Fundraising Night starts at 7 p.m. Monday in the Auditorium.
Greek members will perform synchronized dance routines, similar to music videos, and will be judged on creativity.
On Tuesday, Judge Mitch Crane will speak at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium.
Crane’s speech, “Stop Hazing, Build Lifelong Friendships,” will use court cases to discuss the personal and legal risks of hazing.
Battle of the Bands starts at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Auditorium. Bands will have up to seven minutes to play their choice of songs, and judges will pick the winner.
On Thursday the “Beat the Greeks” game show, modeled after Comedy Central’s “Beat the Geeks,” starts at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium. Greek members will be asked trivia questions on a broad variety of topics.
The Area 8 Special Olympics events start at 9 a.m. Friday at IM Sports-West. Teams will organize events including handball, wheelchair races, bocce ball and volleyball for local athletes with disabilities.
Maggie Machala, assistant director for the Special Olympics event, said she likes to help out the community.
“It makes people who are handicapped feel like they fit in,” she said.
On April 13, more than 1,200 greeks will volunteer in hands-on community service throughout the day in Greater Lansing for the first time.
“There is such a massive amount of people spread throughout the city helping senior citizens, children and cleaning up,” Molasso said.
The week will culminate April 14 in Songfest at 2 p.m. in the Auditorium with the theme of legends. Greek members will perform and sing along to their choice of song.
Admission to the MTV Fundraising Night, Battle of the Bands, “Beat the Greeks” and Songfest is $3 per person or $2 with a canned-good donation.
