The UH chapter of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity is hosting its first philanthropy week with the goal of collecting donations for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“St. Jude is a great organization because they focus on cancer research for kids,” said TKE historian Hunter Holle. “This type of research is pivotal because kids are our future. Hopefully, by donating to their cause, we will add to the effort to put a stop to cancer.”
Four sororities — Phi Mu, Delta Zeta, Zeta Tau Alpha and Chi Omega — have joined TKE in fundraising for the cause. They each donated $150 to St. Jude and have all thought of creative ways to help raise more money.
“The event for Monday and Tuesday is called ‘Penny Wars,'” Holle said. “All of the sororities have decorated jugs and will come out with us to Lynn B. Eusan Park to try and fill them up with money. The jugs will then be judged by chemistry professor Simon Bott based on creativity, effort and design.”
Other events include a sorority-only tug-of-war on Wednesday and a “catch the eagle” game on Thursday, in which a TKE brother will dress as an eagle and run around campus.
“The sorority girls will search campus for the eagle and take as many pictures as they can with it and post them on Facebook,” Holle said. “They get points for each photo, and at the end of the week the sorority with the most points wins a prize.”
St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.
Advertising junior Kevin Arevalo has been involved with TKE for two years and said he is willing to do whatever it takes ensure his fraternity gives a large donation to St. Jude.
“St. Jude changes lives for kids, and I am proud to be raising money for them,” Arevalo said. “By helping these kids, we are giving them a chance to enjoy the same things we have and hopefully make their lives a little better.”
Donations can be made all week to TKE at Lynn Eusan Park.
