Derby Days helps fund Children’s Miracle Network
Nearly 100 sorority members joined the Sigma Chi fraternity to help with Derby Days last week.
Derby Days is an annual, week-long event that benefits the Children’s Miracle Network.
The network is an alliance of 165 hospitals and health-care facilities across the United States and Canada that generates funds for pediatric patients to treat all types of illnesses.
In 1992, Merlin Olsen, a fraternity member and 1962 Utah State University graduate who was in the football Hall of Fame, introduced a Sigma Chi-Children’s Miracle Network national partnership.
Since then, Sigma Chi’s 226 chapters and 117 alumni chapters have raised more than $2 million.
Jeremy Bullough, Derby Days chairman, said, “This year, we raised nearly $2,500 from Utah State’s chapter alone.”
The money was raised through many events during the week.
Some of those events included sorority flag football tournaments, a date auction, a hypnotist show, an all-Greek dinner and ice cream social, burgers on the patio and a tailgate party before the BYU vs. USU football game.
Sororities competed with each other to win the most events and donate the most money.
For the third year in a row, Chi Omega won the sorority competition.
Chi Omega member Morgan Timoney said, “It was hard this year because Alpha Chi Omega sorority put up a good fight.”
Bullough said, “This year, the sorority members really helped out with raising money. We also focused on trying to get the entire campus involved in our philanthropy.”
Nearly 350 students showed up for the hypnotist show. Burgers were sold on the Taggart Student Center patio, where a live band serenaded students eating lunch.
Cara Jones, Chi Omega sorority member, said, “Derby Days is fun to do and goes towards a good cause.”
David Facer, director of Collegiate Activities for Children’s Miracle Network, said, “[The network] is thrilled with the growth of Sigma Chi’s fundraising and involvement in the past few years.
“The growth translates into improving the lives of millions of children throughout North America,” he said.
Bullough said, “We appreciate everyone that participated, and we had a great time.”
-lindseyp@cc.usu.edu