Delta Gamma hosted its annual Anchor Week last week to benefit its national philanthropy Service for Sight.
Events such as the Fraternity Flag Football Tournament, the Sorority Most Beautiful Eyes Contest and a lasagna dinner all worked to raise money for the charity as well as a February lectureship series featuring Animal Planet’s Jeff Corwin.
“We love giving to our community, and we love giving to the university,” Anchor Week coordinator Ashley Thompson said.
Service for Sight works to stop blindness before it starts and helps children who are blind or visually impaired to learn skills that can help them in life. The program has been Delta Gamma’s national project since 1952. Delta Gammas from all over the country have donated almost $2 million to the cause.
Over the past three years the local Delta Gamma chapter raised $50,000 for the lectureship, and the national Delta Gamma Organization matched the funds to donate $100,000 to Mississippi State and become the 10th university to be part of the Dorothy Garret Martin Lectureship Series.
“The chapter has been working tirelessly to raise the money for the lectureship,” said Paula Raffo, lectureship chairman for Delta Gamma.
Corwin, who hosts “The Jeff Corwin Experience” on Animal Planet, is coming to MSU on Feb. 21 at Humphrey Coliseum. The local sorority is currently one of 12 chapters across the nation to be part of this lectureship program.
“The money that comes from Anchor Week will go toward the philanthropy and supporting the lectureship,” Raffo said.
Philanthropist Paul Martin created the lectureship in 1992 in honor of his wife Dotty Martin, who was a Delta Gamma member. The goal of the lectureship is to educate students on college campuses on the value of ethical conduct in their personal and professional lives.
In the past, the lectureship has brought lecturers such as Julie Andrews, Maya Angleou, Barbara Bush and Steve Forbes to college campuses involved in the program. This year will be Mississippi State’s first lecture in the series.
“We are really proud that we have done as much as we have,” Thompson said. “I just hope that we can continue to help.”