Annual Derby Days raises money for children
The Sigma Chi fraternity’s annual philanthropy project, Derby Days raised about $3,500 for the Children’s Miracle Network and Primary Children’s Hospital last week – a $1,500 improvement from last year.
Sigma Chi Derby Days Chairman J.D. Neilson said Derby Days is the fraternity’s week-long fund-raiser that every chapter participates in nationally, which involves a competition between the Greek sororities and activities for the entire campus, including a hypnotist show and raffle drawing.
Neilson said the raffle had $1,000 in prizes donated from local businesses, including a Hewlett Packard computer and diamond earrings.
Neilson said service is a significant aspect of the fraternal organization.
“I think it’s important to participate in charity, to get involved in the community,” he said. “It’s an easy way to give back.”
The campus sororities, Alpha Chi Omega, Chi Omega, Kappa Delta and Theta Nu Xi, participated in the week’s activities, while competing for points in various contests.
Competitions included a flag-football tournament, volleyball tournament, pie-eating contest and skit contest. The sorority houses also helped raise money by purchasing T-shirts, raffle tickets, a catered dinner and tickets to the hypnotist show.
“I think Derby Days went really well,” Neilson said. “We had a lot of help from the sororities, and the hypnotist was better than we’ve ever seen before. Overall, it was a big improvement from last year.”
Michelle Monteleone, Alpha Chi Omega’s philanthropy chair, said her sorority participates in the project every year.
“We participate in Derby Days because service is one of our five criteria, and this gives us a chance to help serve children as well as unite as a Greek community,” she said.
While each house won at least one event, Kappa Delta placed first in the overall competition, with Alpha Chi Omega placing second and Theta Nu Xi placing third.
Mary McMullen, the Derby Days officer for Kappa Delta, said they put a lot of time and effort into preparing for the cause.
“I think that in the years before, there has been a lot of apathy because of some of the past negative connotations of the sorority competition,” she said. “But this year, we decided that it was for charity, and we should just put forth effort, because the more money we put forth, the more money would go towards the Children’s Miracle Network.”
Neilson said Kappa Delta placed first in the skit category, with their version of the musical “Chicago.” They also sold the most tickets to the hypnotist show and purchased the most T-shirts. Alpha Chi Omega won the pie-eating contest and bought the most pies in the pie-throwing contest. Theta Nu Xi purchased the most tickets to the fundraiser dinner, and Chi Omega won the date auction, volleyball and flag-football tournaments.
Neilson said about 700 people total attended the two hypnotist shows, performed by Cache Valley hypnotist Andrew Titensor.
Titensor used volunteers from the audience to be hypnotized, which Freshman Lexie Kite, a communications major, said she thought was realistic.
“I thought it was pretty darn funny,” she said. “I believe it was real because I think he got rid of the people that weren’t [hypnotized] in the beginning.”
Sean Coon, Sigma Chi’s pledge trainer said he was pleased with the outcome of Derby Days.
“The week overall was a success because it was a good time for the campus with the hypnotist show and above all we raised the money for a charity,” he said.
-msprading@cc.usu.edu
Amber Wardell and Camilla Burke, members of the Chi Omega sorority, celebrate after their 6-0 flag football victory over the Kappa Delta sorority Friday. (Photo by Aaron Hogan)