By Faith Miletello | Reporter
Chi Omega’s Wish Week has been in full swing since Sunday. During the week, the sorority celebrates and fundraises for its philanthropy, the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The organization will end the week with its second annual Sandblast Volleyball Tournament from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday at the McLane Student Life Center.
“We are raising money by teams signing up, and there is an entry fee of $5 for people that come,” Arlington junior Lauren Knapton said. “We will have the Baylor basketball game playing and different places to buy food.”
Along with the tournament, Chi Omega will host a dunk tank, where presidents from various Greek organizations have volunteered to be dunked for the cause. There will also be a pie-in-the-face area where attendees can pie a member of Chi Omega or a Baylor professor.
“Make-A-Wish impacts the Waco community in many ways, but I think the biggest thing the organization does is bring hope and joy to families through the power of wish granting. The organization brings everyone together, and Chi Omega is able to help make this happen,” Houston sophomore Julie Baker said.
Chi Omega has partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation since 2002. The Baylor chapter works closely with the North Texas branch, and all proceeds are donated in honor of families in the Waco community, Knapton said.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening diseases to give them amazing experiences, according to its website. A combined 89 percent of doctors, nurses and health professionals surveyed said the Wish experience made a positive influence on a child’s health, the website reports.
“Make-A-Wish is something very personal to me. My best friend got a wish granted when I was in high school,” Knapton said. “She had colon cancer. Her wish was to go to Italy with her family, and it was really cool that they got to do that. She passed away last year, and so it was a special impact on me.”
