In collaboration with campus sororities, Pi Kappa Phi raised more than $7,500 for their national philanthropy last week in their second annual War of the Roses competition.
Pi Kappa Phi has reached 75 percent of their semester's fundraising goal of $10,000 by hosting its War of the Roses tournament where sororities compete in various gladiator-style competitions throughout the week.
All proceeds will go to the organization People Understanding the Severely Disabled America, said fraternity President Jake Henderson.
Each day of the competition sororities battled against one another in categories like Greek Olympics, kickball, Greek Idol, fundraising competitions and powder puff football, Henderson said.
Although these games were free of charge, the sorority members were required to purchase shorts for $15 and also responsible for holding their own fundraisers on Tuesday and Wednesday of the competition.
The sororities raised money by raffling off dates, accepting donations for back scratches and having pies thrown in their faces, said Garner Bass, Pi Kappa Phi's philanthropy chair.
The sororities earned points for winning competitions and were also competing to get an opportunity to co-sponsor an empathy dinner with the members of Pi Kappa Phi to benefit their philanthropy PUSH America, said Bass, a marketing junior.
Gamma Phi Beta won the most points and the competition by raising $2,000, with Chi Omega coming in second place and Alpha Phi and Kappa Kappa Gamma winning third and fourth place positions, said Henderson, a communication senior.
Henderson said Gamma Phi Beta won the fundraising arm of the competition by holding a raffle and awarding a date with one of their members.
While many sororities and fraternities have their own philanthropy events, Henderson said, many don't mind collaborating with the greek community and raising money for each other's goals.
"It's great to see the greek community coming together and raising money for other chapter's philanthropy," said Rebecca Gerrick, philanthropy chair for Alpha Epsilon Phi. "When we all come together, we can raise a lot more money than if we try to do it alone."