~ PHILANTHROPY ~

What else does being in a sorority involve? Is it all social events? Definitely not! Philanthropy plays one of the biggest roles in Greek life. 

The word philanthropy has its roots in the Greek language meaning “love for mankind.” - Arthur C. Frantzreb

My sorority, Sigma Kappa, has five philanthropies including; Sigma Kappa Foundation, Inherit the Earth, Gerontology, Maine Sea Coast Mission, and Alzheimer's.

Sigma Kappa Foundation is for all members of Sigma Kappa throughout the United States. Each current member in the sorority donates $18.75 each year that is sent to our nationals. The money is used for any Sigma Kappa alumni who is in need of assistances. For example, during Hurricane Katrina, we were able to help an older alumni and her family financially after she lost her home during the disaster.

Inherit the Earth is a week where our sisters all work together to help our environment. During this week we pick up trash around campus, promote recycling, and plant trees around campus.

Maine Sea Coast Mission is where we help an island in Maine that is unable to get supplies during the winter due to the water freezing. During this time we collect and each donate products such as tissue paper, tooth paste, soap, can foods, etc.

Gerontology is the study of aging. Our main philanthropy is Alzheimer's. We participate every year in Memory Walk and Relay for Life. We also host a philanthropy event at our sorority house called Sigma Hold Em' where all the money raised is donated to Alzheimer's research. We invite all fraternity and sororities to play in a poker tournament where we have dealers, prizes, and hostesses providing food and drinks for the participants. Not only has this been a great success, it is also a blast!

"I place my bet against Alzheimer's" 

During the football season we choose one home game where we "can". "Canning" is where we ask people if they would like to donate towards Alzheimer's. The best part of this is hearing people's personal experiences of the effects Alzheimer's has had on them and their families. I've had strangers cry and hug me, thanking me for what we are doing. It's such a touching experience knowing that you really are making a difference to someone. 

Through our philanthropies Pat Summitt and Phillip Fulmer have played enormous roles. They both have participated in the Memory Walk and talked to our sorority thanking us for our hard work. Phillip Fulmer actually came to our sorority house for a cookout last year where we were able to talk to him one on one, take pictures, and receive autographs!

"Whether competing on the basketball court or against Alzheimer's disease, it takes teamwork to win. Teamwork allows common people to obtain uncommon results." -Pat Summitt 

Not only do we participate in our philanthropies but we also participate and donate to every fraternity and sorority's philanthropy as well!

My all time favorite philanthropy event all Greek Life participates in is Habitat for Humanity where we build a house for a family. We work for a week starting from scratch doing anything from painting to laying floors. There is nothing more rewarding when we see the faces of the family when they see their new home.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” Charles Dickens

As a UT student and a strong supporter of Pat Summitt, I highly recommend watching the following video on her fight against Alzheimer's. It shows the effect the disease has not only on her but our whole community. WE BACK PAT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgD5nk3eM1I

Music, Dancing, & Mixers!

In the midst of your stressed out, school packed, week what's better than escaping reality and dancing all your worries away for a night?! Dressing up to a theme, hanging out with your favorite people, and turning off the rest of the world for a night... Sounds amazing right?! Hello MIXERS!

Mixers: where a fraternity and sorority join together with a common theme at a venue typically involving music provided by a Dj with dancing and mingling throughout the night

          With being apart of a sorority the social aspect definitely comes along with the membership. 

"From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it." 

Due to being my sorority's Social Chair (who plans our mixers), I'm probably a little bias on the topic but mixers are one of my favorite things we do! We recently had not only our first mixer of the semester but first one ever to be in the Old City. The theme was GI Joes and Barbie Clothes with the gentlemen of SigEp. It was an absolute blast!

"Sisters make the bad times good and the good time unforgettable."

We began the night hanging out before the event allowing our sorority and fraternity to get to know each other a little better. The bus arrived at the old Panhellenic building with the destination NV NightClub in the Old City. Once we arrived the bouncers were great and the DJ was already set up and playing music. People were outside in the courtyard hanging out and inside covering the dance floor. The mixer ended around 1:00am when the bus took us back to the old Panhellenic building. This was one of the first events we have done with the SigEp Fraternity it years and it turned out beautifully! 

Since I am in charge of the event including, controlling the bus we had to take, renting the venue, finding a DJ, and dealing with catering I was a nervous wreck. I was a crazy person the whole week leading up to the event. 

It wasn't until the mixer itself was over when I was like, why was I stressing out so bad? It could not have gone anymore perfect! I was so proud! The most rewarding feeling was when I had sisters coming up to me at and after the mixer saying it was their favorite one yet. It was such breath of fresh air! The next morning I woke up with texts and tweets of people saying how much fun they had!

Seeing my sisters dressed up as workout Barbie, businesswoman Barbie, camo, and more and the guys in camo and army clothes dancing, laughing, and having a blast was great! 

"Individually unique. Together complete."

That was a night we will forever remember and have memories from for the rest of our life's. In my opinion, there's not much things more fun than a themed party and dancing all night long! College is suppose to be the best years of our life's, we're just taking advantaged of that one night at a time!

"The group of people you associate with says a lot about your character. In my opinion, we're on the right track."