A Mississippi State University sorority has sponsored several events in an effor to raise money for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Members of the Delta Delta Delta social sorority have organized several activities for this week.
This weekend Delta Delta Delta has scheduled the Frats at Bat Softball Tournament. The tournament, which is open to both fraternities and sororities, has been hosted by Delta Delta Delta for the past five years. A home run derby is also planned for Saturday.
The softball tournament will begin today from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. On March 29 it will be held from 8 am to 9 pm. That same day the home run derby will be held at noon.
Amy Armstrong coordinated the event this year, serving as the chairwoman for the fund raiser. She announced that 20 teams are expected to compete in Frats at Bat and that the grand prize for the winner of the home run derby is dinner for two at Anthony’s.
Lauren Hancock, the former Delta Delta Delta chairperson for the fund raiser, said that last year’s winner won a weekend stay at a casino on the Gulf Coast in Biloxi.
The games are planned to take place at the Intramural Rec Plex, located just off of Blackjack Road near the Louis Wise Center. Tickets may be purchased for $5 at the gates.
“The ladies of Delta Delta Delta are asking Mississippi State University students, alumni, employees, family and friends, as well as all other residents of Starkville, Oktibbeha County and surrounding areas, to help us help the kids of St. Jude,” said Bevin Cole, a senior interior design major and chapter vice president for public relations.
Earlier this week, on March 25, Delta Delta Delta sponsored a concert at Rick’s CafZ. The band Graham and Kelly performed. Hancock commented that the concert went well in spite of many other events occurring that same night.
Delta Delta Delta President Rebekah Williams has been excited about the turnout at the fund raiser events so far. She was thrilled with the support from the other fraternities and sororities.
Scholarship Chair for the MSU Panhellenic Council Holli Hitt issued a statement concerning the support for Delta Delta Delta’s cause. “In seeking to build a stronger community among Greek organizations, sororities are making an effort to support the philanthropy events of every other sorority,” she said.
“Since all money raised goes to support a great cause, we want to foster cooperation in addition to friendly competition,” Hitt said.
In the past years that Delta Delta Delta has hosted Frats at Bat, the sorority has raised $130,000, including last year’s total of $32,000.
The organization’s goal for this year is to exceed last year’s amount, Cole said.
Hancock mentioned that the sorority began to raise money this past Christmas. However, she said, since the economy is down it has been harder to raise the funds, and at this point Delta Delta Delta has raised almost $27,000. “But every little bit helps,” she said.
St. Jude was the first medical facility established in the United States with the sole purpose of conducting research into diseases, primarily cancer, faced by children. Located in Memphis, Tenn., the hospital has received donations from across the globe. Like many other states, Mississippi has directly benefited from its services.
For more information about the fundraising weekend, please call Bevin Cole at 324-2750 or Amy Armstrong at 325-0049.