UA greeks model with iPod Shuffle, help tsunami victims


By Anthony D. Ávila
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Monday, March 28, 2005

For the next two weeks, UA students and anyone with a computer can vote for the best-looking model on a new Web site that will directly benefit tsunami victims in Southeast Asia.

The "iPose" Web site features representatives from eight fraternities and eight sororities at the UA who modeled at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house, 1510 N. Vine Ave., in their swimwear while holding or wearing an iPod Shuffle, said Matt Van Horn, Alpha Epsilon Pi president and Apple representative at the UA.

The site, which launches today, was organized by the fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi and sorority Alpha Phi, which will each donate 10 cents per vote to the tsunami relief from their chapter's general funds, said Van Horn, an entrepreneurship and marketing junior.

HOW TO HELP


Support tsunami relief and vote at:uaaepi.org/ipose

"The idea came to promote the new iPod Shuffle and also benefit philanthropy," Van Horn said. "It's never been done before, it's completely unique."

Van Horn said the winners, who will be announced on the main stage of Spring Fling April 8 at 7:15 p.m., will receive prizes donated by Apple.

First-place winners, one from a fraternity and one from a sorority, will win a 20-gigabyte iPod. Second-place winners will receive the new iPod Shuffle and third-place winners will receive $50 worth of music at the iTunes online music store.

Alyssa Kiefer, a junior majoring in French and history, said she agreed to model for the shoot because the money will go to tsunami relief.

"I was willing to do it for a good cause," Kiefer said. "I probably wouldn't have done it otherwise."

Todd Scanlin, a political science junior, said since the proceeds go to tsunami relief, it will motivate more people to be involved.

"I think when people hear about it, it will get them to vote," Scanlin said.

Van Horn said he had no monetary goal for how much the event would raise, but he just wanted it to get as "big as possible."

"I just want to get as many people out there voting as possible," Van Horn said. "It's good competition, because everybody wins."

Voting ends April 7 at 8 p.m.