On Saturday, April 2, Shippensburg fraternities and sororities met on the university recreation fields for friendly competition to help raise money for a good cause.
Alpha Omicron Pi hosted its annual “Strike Out Arthritis” event, a charity wiffle ball tournament that raises money for the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation. Nine teams of fraternities, sororities and families battled a windy afternoon to compete for a banner, a gift card and bragging rights.
This event, and others like it, solidifies the importance of community among the university and Greeks.
“It is honestly a great feeling knowing we can count on other Greek organizations on campus to support us,” said Harley Bechtel, Alpha Omicron Pi Philanthropy chair. “We do our best to support them at their events as well.”
Bechtel and a committee spent months planning the event, hoping it would go off without a hitch. She faced scheduling challenges, weather concerns and a fear no one would show up. Fortunately, the rain held off for the day and they raised more than $250 for the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation.
Ultimately, Kappa Sigma took home the prize after many close games. They proudly accepted their award, posing with the girls in their green jerseys.
Community service and philanthropy events are an integral part of Greek Life. In addition to the Arthritis Foundation, Alpha Omicron Pi supports many other charities, including the American Cancer Society.
“Greek Life has a false stereotype that all we do is drink and party, so this is a way to show everyone that we do so much more,” Bechtel said.
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