By Mallory Hisler, Reporter
Although a war is rarely viewed as a means to a charitable end, Baylor’s chapter of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity plans to challenge that view with its own war.
The fraternity will host War of the Roses on campus Monday through Thursday to raise awareness and funds for its philanthropic organization, Push America. The organization is owned by the national
Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and works to benefit those with disabilities. In War of the Roses, the eight Panhellenic sororities will compete against one another to earn points throughout the week. The war will include contests such as a cake decorating contest, tug-of-war, wheelchair basketball and more.
“The sorority with the most points will win a trophy, and 10 percent of the money that is raised will go to their chapter philanthropy,” Plano junior Scott Adamek, Pi Kappa Phi philanthropy chair, said.
To begin the week, members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity will ride stationary bikes on Fountain Mall for 24 hours starting at 8 a.m. Monday to attract attention for the event.
There will be buckets by the riders for each sorority. Sorority members are encouraged to put change in their sorority’s bucket, and to put bills or checks in other sororities’ buckets. Every dollar’s worth of change in a bucket equates to one point for the sorority, and the bills and checks equate to a loss in points.
A different event will take place each day and will serve as opportunities for sororities to earn points.
Adamek said Pi Kappa Phi, chartered six years ago, is the youngest fraternity on campus.Adamek said he saw an opportunity for his fraternity — the newest fraternity on campus — to make an impact and went for it.
“I wanted to create a big event that we could have annually to raise a lot of awareness and money, and this just kind of started,” Adamek said.
Although most of the money earned through chapter events goes to the national Pi Kappa Phi fraternity for Push America, it does benefit some of those with disabilities locally, Johann Porisch, Pi Kappa Phi treasurer, said.
“All of the money that we earn throughout the year goes to nationals, and they send us a check for one-third of the total,” Porisch said. “That money comes back to Waco.”
Porisch said the fraternity also partners with Arc of McLennan County to help with their after-school care program for children with disabilities and does service projects around the area for disabled residents.
“We just tried to create something that we would be proud of and would raise money for our philanthropy,” Porisch said. “This is a step in the right direction for us.”
Although the war is geared toward sororities, Adamek said he encourages others to get involved by attending the events and contributing to Push America.
Adamek said the last chance for sororities to earn points, and perhaps the best opportunity for others to participate, will be Thursday evening.
At 7:30 p.m. there will be a catered dinner at Memorial Dining Hall, which will include hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, cookies and drinks, Adamek said.
Tickets to the dinner cost $10 per person or $18 for two and can be purchased at the door. The winner of the War of the Roses will be named at the dinner.
To conclude the week, a group from Pi Kappa Phi will travel to Down Home Ranch, near San Marcos, on Friday.
The ranch is for adults with disabilities, and the fraternity members plan on spending the weekend working on the ranch and with its visitors.
For information and to find out how to participate, visit the Facebook event page “War of the Roses Presented by Pi Kappa Phi.”
