On Sunday, 35 teams gathered at Patriarche Park for Sigma Kappa sorority's third annual SigmaOlympics philanthropy event.
The event was the culmination of a weeklong effort to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association. It was also part of the sorority’s national Ultra Violet campaign, which allows chapters to use creative methods to raise funds for philanthropic causes – including the Alzheimer’s Association.
All of the proceeds from the $200 per team sign-up fee were donated and with a record 35 teams participating, $7000 was raised for the charity.
The SigmaOlympics featured four games which each team participated in. These included the balloon stomp, in which one member of each team wore a balloon around their leg while other teams’ representatives attempted to stomp on and pop the balloons; the sponge relay, a relay race in which competitors had to carry sponges while running. Other events included an obstacle course and a tug-of-war.
Amber Johnson, Sigma Kappa’s vice president of philanthropy and physiology junior, organized the event and was happy with the outcome.
“It’s a little crazy today, but it’s for charity, we raised a lot of money, and it looks like people are having fun,” Johnson said.
Of the 35 teams competing, 33 were affiliated with fraternities. However, Johnson said she found the involvement of both fraternities and other teams encouraging.
“We want it to be more involved on campus, not just greek life,” Johnson said. “So if girls have friends on campus who are on sports teams or club teams, we invite them to come if they can get a team together...we’re trying to spread the word as much as we can.”
Jonathon Perliss, a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity and social relations and policy sophomore, said he considered the event a success.
“We all chipped in a little money, it’s going to a good cause, and we’re having fun out here on a beautiful day," Perliss said.
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