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Greek Week raises $62K

April 7, 2003
Walkers pass by American Cancer Society signs raising awareness of cancer issues Friday night in Jenison Field House as part of the greek system's Relay for Life. The Relay for Life had 13 different teams walking with about 3,000 people total participating.

The money is pouring in.

To date, Greek Week activities sponsored by the Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils have raised about $62,000 to support Relay For Life, Area 8 Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

"I'm surprised," assistant director of Greek Week Christina Cybulla said. "We were just hoping to raise more money than what we had before."

Last year's Greek Week raised around $30,000 for various charities.

"We raised more money than we expected," she said.

Cybulla said not only contributions from individual fraternities and sororities helped their efforts, but outside fund raising from area residents and family and friends of greeks helped them meet their goal.

Cybulla also said the groups were hoping to raise up to $15,000 by Tuesday.

For the first time, Greek Week is expanded over a two-week period. Today, all students are invited to attend the Battle of the Bands at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium.

Many of this year's events revolved around physical activity, incorporating athletics or music.

Hundreds of fraternity and sorority members circled around the track at Jenison Field House non-stop from Friday night to Saturday afternoon for Relay For Life.

Relay For Life, an event that supports the American Cancer Society, celebrates cancer survivors while educating about the disease.

Earlier last week, about 3,000 greeks, students and Lansing-area residents came out to Area 8 Special Olympics on Thursday at IM Sports-West.

"We were a little more involved with the athletes," said mechanical engineering senior Missy Anteau, who coordinated the Special Olympics portion of Greek Week.

This year, about 20 members of fraternities and sororities went through a mentoring program with some of the participating athletes.

They would visit the athletes' schools once a week and help them train for the competition.

Money from tonight's Battle of the Bands also supports Area 8 Special Olympics. Admission is $3.

"(The greeks) have a 20-year history of raising money for Special Olympics," Anteau said. "We've gone back pretty far."

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