Katie HofstetterAn awards ceremony Thursday will mark the end of Greek Week and honor the sorority and fraternity teams that earned top points in the week’s series of events.
“It’s a time for the whole greek system to come together and show everyone the good things we do and also for us to compete against each other for campus bragging rights,” said Nicholas Leone, a member of the InterFraternity Council.
Teams, usually made up of a multi-cultural chapter, a large fraternity, a small fraternity and a sorority, as well as individual sororities and fraternities, compete in athletics and participate in community activities throughout Greek Week to receive points.
Events began April 18 with the Run to Remember, a night run to raise sexual assault awareness, where Greek Life members made up nearly half of the 250 participants, Leone said.
“Greek Week is a community event that is geared toward showcasing various aspects of Greek Life to the university and the community,” said Eddie Dominguez, director for Greek Affairs.
On Sunday, April 23, an estimated 175 participants offered their services throughout the community for the 2006 Greek Day of Service, Dominguez said. The day, which was implemented into Greek Week last year, allowed for community service opportunities ranging from trash cleanup to painting and gardening.
“The service day event is just an example of what (the fraternities and sororities) do all year long,” Dominguez said, calling Greek Week “a snapshot of what Greek Life could be like.”
Having participated in the first Day of Service in 2005, Leone said he noticed an increase in community participation this year.
“This year it took less effort to get people,” Leone said. “I have seen more philanthropy.”
Aside from the Day of Service and Run to Remember, Greek Life members contributed to the community with a blood drive held Tuesday on Mott Lawn. In addition, sorority members also took part in a dress drive, which collected prom dresses and sent them to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, Leone said.
Chapters also earned points Thursday in a five-minute hot dog eating contest. The winner finished 8 3/4 hot dogs, Leone said.
The week’s athletic events include flag football, racquetball, volleyball, dodgeball, bowling, arm wrestling and a tug-o-war.
And TJ Sullivan, co-founder of Campuspeak, addressed an audience on “How to Confront the Idiot in Your Chapter” on Wednesday night.
Leone said Sullivan offered “really good advice for looking inside your house and yourself.”
While Dominguez said Greek Week is not designed as a recruitment technique, he said the publicity of activities around campus often do entice students into Greek Life.
All fraternities and sororities are invited to participate in Greek Week, provided they pay the $200 entry fee and are not disqualified.
Events still to come include today’s tug-o-war, from 3 to 5 p.m., and arm wrestling in the University Union Plaza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow.