WILL SEBERGER/Arizona Daily Wildcat Chris Huitfelt, undeclared sophomore, appeals to the crowd while his fraternity brothers auction him off for a date at a charity event held at the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house. The money raised will be donated to the Bobbi Olson Memorial Fund.

Fraternity auctions off dates with members to raise money for the Bobbi Olson Memorial Fund, which works to cure ovarian cancer

Losing his shirt and dancing onstage in front of more than 100 beautiful women is usually something that a guy will regret the next morning, but for members of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, it's just for a good cause.

Last night fraternity and sorority members raised about $3,500 at the Pike house for the fraternity's second Bobbi Olson Ovarian Cancer Foundation date auction.

"A lot of people in the fraternity have been affected by cancer," said Pike member and retail senior Micah Kinsler. "Bobbi Olson was a great lady who contributed a lot to the Tucson community."

Pike members were auctioned off to bidders for anywhere between $100 and $400. The highest bidders will accompany the Pike members they chose to the fraternity's next date dash.

For Heather Watkins, ovarian cancer is a cause very near to her heart.

"My mom has ovarian cancer," the finance junior said. "It is so great to see a fraternity giving back to a woman's cause."

Watkins came prepared to bid $150 on a fraternity member to support the cause.

The event was interrupted, however, when a UAPD officer arrived around 9:15 p.m. in response to a noise complaint. The police first told the fraternity to disband the event, but later agreed that it could be moved from the courtyard into the house, Pike president Drew Baxter said.

Because of the long delay, many of the people attending left the event, and the fraternity could not complete the auction.

Fraternity officers decided to donate $1,000 from the fraternity's own funds in addition to the $2,500 already raised, Baxter said.

About 10 men were auctioned off, and there were about 10 left to go when police arrived.

"It breaks my heart," Baxter said. "We were trying to do something great and set up a good relationship with a charity that means so much to this community," Baxter said.

The fraternity men chose the Bobbi Olson Foundation as their charity to honor the women in their lives, said Pike Vice President Sean Koffel, who was auctioned off for $285.

"We are all mama's boys here at Pike," he said. "I don't know what the guys in the house would do without their moms."

Former UA men's basketball player Jason Gardner kicked off the event, thanking those in attendance and honoring the memory of Bobbi Olson.

"She has been an important person to me. She means a lot to this community and a lot to the city of Tucson," he said.

Later, Gardner offered to put himself up for auction, but the event was interrupted before he was able to make it on stage.

Baxter received the highest bid of $380.

In 2001, the group raised $4,300 for the charity, and the men were hoping to raise at least $5,000 this year.

The group hopes to hold the event again in the fall, but possibly at a different location, Baxter said.