Those driving on Calhoun Rd. unexpectedly slowed down during the evening as they passed the Sigma Chi Fraternity house on Friday.

Everything from fire trucks, horse carriages, Indian teepees, and H-1 military Humvees were parked on the driveway of the fraternity house.

“Getting the (fire) truck was a bit of a hassle, but luckily we met some very nice firefighters who came through for us,” Zeta Tau Alpha sorority member Isabella Arnao said. “No other fraternity includes such an entertaining aspect to their philanthropy events.”

The extravagant entrance was just one event in Sigma Chi’s “Derby Days” which pits UH’s six panhellenic sororities against one another in a variety of competitions all-the-while benefitting Children’s Miracle Network.

This year, the brothers of Sigma Chi raised more than $4,000 — more than doubling their proceeds from the previous year. All of the profits raised went directly to Texas Children’s Hospital, located in Houston’s Medical Center.

“To be able to make a difference in a child’s life is an awesome feeling,” Derby Daddy Gabe Salazar said. “Every year, we’re able to go drop off a check, tour the hospital and truly see how we’re making an impact.”

While raising money is the primary purpose of Derby Days, the four-day long event also provides its fair share of competitive nature with the winning sorority receiving the Derby trophy and more importantly, bragging rights.

This year, the ladies of Alpha Chi Omega claimed victory and the previous champion Zeta Tau Alpha took second.

“The competition is so intense,” Alpha Chi Omega president Lorin Foteh said. “There’s so much room for creativity and so many days of activities that girls can prepare for so we get hyped up.”

Derby Days, originally known as “Channingway Derby,” started in spring 1933 at the University of California-Berkley and has since grown into the largest Greek philanthropic event in the country.

“To combine fun events like Queens Entrance, tug-o-war and dodge ball with a worthy cause is a perfect match,” Salazar said. “Every year, we’re out to top the last Derby Days and with the help of all six sororities, we certainly did that.”

After more than 100 female students auditioned to be a part of the scholarship pageant, only eight of the strongest contenders stood on stage before the audience.

The 29th annual Miss Black and Gold scholarship pageant sponsored by the gentlemen of the Eta Mu chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity took place at the UH Hilton Hotel on Sunday.

The event was held in the Hilton ballroom, which set the tone for the night — the men of Eta Mu were dressed in tuxedos, guests arrived in respectable attire and the décor was fitting for the occasion.

A panel of five judges was selected to oversee the night’s events, including Mia Wright, motivational speaker and co-pastor of the Fountain of Praise Church.

The ladies had to demonstrate why they should be crowned as the next Miss Black and Gold by participating in six different categories: An introduction of themselves, casual wear, swimwear, talent showcase, formal wear and an oral expression.

Each girl channeled her inner model by flaunting her fashion sense on stage as a part of the casual wear segment of the pageant.

The swimwear portion of the night served as a preview of what is to come this bikini season as the contestants bore a little skin and brought out their summer’s best, some even completed their looks with straw hats and sunglasses.

Perhaps the most entertaining part of the night was the talent category.

One contestant seduced the audience with her voice and piano playing ability. Two contestants chose to highlight their vocal abilities by singing soft and sweet melodies. There were also self-choreographed dances and self-written monologues that were performed in front of the judges and audience members.

The most difficult and nerve-wracking part of the night was the end, when all of the ladies were welcomed back onstage in their formal wear to answer some challenging questions in the oral expression category.

Questions about appearance and image in society, current events, politics, LGBT rights and religion were asked.

Junior English major Keirsten Andrews was crowned as the next Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant queen. Andrews said that she hopes to keep it simple while holding the title.

“Hopefully, just by staying on the same path that I’m on right now,” Andrews said.  “Continuing to work hard in school; continuing to do well at my job; continuing to try to give back to the community with the non-profit organization that I work for and whatever else I can possibly think to do.”

In addition to being the recipient of a scholarship worth $1,500, Andrews also walked away with two plane tickets to anywhere in the US and a flat screen TV.

Showing some philanthropic finesse, the Delta Zeta sorority hosted their 25th annual Gong Show on Wednesday in the Houston Room at the University Center. The talent show was held to raise funds for The Center for Hearing and Speech, an organization that gives aid and teaching to children with hearing and speech impediments. The theme this year, Cougars Got Talent, modeled the television program America’s Got Talent, showing acts from different fraternities and sororities.

Cassie Cooper, co-chair of the Gong Show, said she was excited about the show, hoping to top the record-breaking donation raised last year.

“This is our 25th annual Gong Show. Last year was the most we raised, which I think was $5,000, and so we are hoping to raise more than that this year,” Cooper said. “(The donors) have a half page, quarter page or full page (of messages in the program) depending on their donation. We will also have a slide running with all of our sponsors. We also have a raffle, a silent auction and T-shirt sales.”

Sophomore Kayly Scott went to support her fellow sorority sisters at Phi Mu.

“The show was really good. I was so impressed with all the dances. Everyone did a really great job,” Scott said. “(The cause) is really great. DZ’s philanthropy is hearing and speech and it’s really awesome that they do that.”

Gamma Beta won first place among the panel of judges; Chi Omega came in a close second with Sigma Phi Epsilon sliding into third. With their colorful routine, Sigma Chi took the Turtle Award, an honor given to the act that showcased the most Delta Zeta appreciation. Lastly, the coveted Spirit Award went to the men of Tau Kappa Epsilon.

The single-elimination basketball tournament serves as a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish foundation, the national Chi Omega philanthropic organization. Nineteen teams competed in the 4-hour tournament, with a $150 entry fee for one team and a $200 entry fee for two teams. Teams were split into male and female brackets.

“Make A Wish is near and dear to our hearts,” said Psi Zeta chapter President Amanda Van Tillborg. “It is life-changing to us as a sorority, and it wouldn’t be possible without our community’s help.”

This year top honors went to the Delta Gamma sorority, who won the women’s bracket, and the fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi sealing victory in the men’s bracket. Winners received a large trophy to keep.

At the beginning of September, Chi Omega members shared information regarding the basketball tournament to fraternities, sororities and other organizations on campus. There is also the best banner contest that the teams participated in and put around the basketball courts to cheer on their team, Chi Omega, and support Make-A-Wish with festive colors and drawings.

The Psi Zeta chapter of Chi Omega has raised enough money to grant the wishes of two children, and are hoping to raise enough this year to grant another wish, changing the life of a child afflicted with a life-threatening illness.

All the chapter’s fundraising money is donated to the Gulf Coast Make-A-Wish chapter, which then notifies the sorority about which wish the money supported.

“We narrow down the list to someone who lives in Houston and then go from there,” Van Tilborg said.

Last year, the Psi Zeta chapter raised over seven thousand dollars for Make-A-Wish with the Swishes for Wishes tournament. Chi Omega plans to continue fundraising efforts for Make-A-Wish with a silent auction on Nov. 20. Auctioned goods will come from donations from participating companies, organizations and people.