UC s Greek Week Is More Than Just Fun And Games

Let the games begin. Chariot races, coney-eating contests, cornhole and Napoleon Dynamite will all highlight Greek Week at the University of Cincinnati. But amid all the fun is a serious goal to grant the wishes of two Cincinnati children who are battling leukemia.

“This is a week in which all of the members of UC’s Greek social organizations can come together in friendly competition and unite as a community,” says Andrew Lebensburger of West Chester, the UC Greek Week President and member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. “It is also a very large philanthropic event. Last year, we had set a goal to raise $5,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and we reached $11,000. So, we’re going with the $11,000 goal this year,” says the UC senior finance and marketing major.

Fund-raising for Make-A-Wish started with a letter-writing campaign. The UC Greek organizations are raising money to grant the wish of five-year-old Emily and 12-year-old Ryan. Both children have expressed a wish to go to Disney World.

Vicki Marsala, program coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life, says last year UC’s Greek organizations raised a total of $31,133 to benefit philanthropies and contributed more than 13,359 hours of community service. She says there are 1,105 students who belong to UC’s 19 fraternities and 11 sororities, and that those members are also involved in more than 80 percent of all UC student organizations. Many of them are leaders in the campus community, including Student Body President Justin Shafer (Sigma Phi Epsilon), Student Body Vice President Ben Hines (Sigma Chi) and Senior Class President Drew McKenzie (Beta Theta Pi).

Greek Week Schedule of Events:

Sunday, April 17

5 p.m.
Location: Sigma Sigma Commons
Greek Week Kick-Off Celebration – Dodge-ball and a cornhole tournament highlight a celebration that also features food and music. The organization that wins the cornhole tournament will select members to sing “Take Me Out to The Ball Game” at the UC Baseball Game on April 20.

Monday, April 18

10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: Tangeman University Center (TUC), Room 400 A and 400 B
Order of Omega Blood Drive – The Greek honorary is sponsoring a blood drive for Greek organizations with Hoxworth Blood Center. Fraternities and sororities will register four members to donate from each chapter.

7 p.m.
Location: Great Hall, TUC
Lip Sync Competition – Could one of them be the next American Idol? This is an event that is heavily attended by students, as Greek organizations do their best song-and-dance routine to a pre-recorded soundtrack. The finals will feature up to 13 acts. Celebrity judges decide the winners.

Tuesday, April 19

11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Location: McMicken Commons
Dunk Tank Fund-raiser – Each chapter of a UC fraternity or sorority has selected a member to send to the dunking booth. Participants pay for a chance to sink the sitter in the dunk tank. Proceeds will benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation. The event is sponsored by the Future Greek Leaders Council.

7 p.m.
Location: Great Hall, TUC
Greek God and Goddess Competition – This is also an event that traditionally draws a large crowd, as chapters compete by showing off the variety of the talents of their members. Celebrity judges pick the winners.

Wednesday, April 20

6:30 p.m.
Location: UC Baseball Stadium
UC Baseball Greek Night – Greek organizations join UC Athletics for Greek Night in the new stadium. Fraternities and sororities compete for points by drawing the biggest crowd to the match-up between the Bearcats and the Kentucky Wildcats baseball teams. A member of the Greek community will be selected to sing the national anthem at the baseball game, and as part of the philanthropy of Greek Week, a child sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation will throw out the first pitch. The Greek organizations will also compete on coney and pie-eating contests between innings, and will sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch.

Thursday, April 21

Noon
Location: Armory Fieldhouse
Slam Dunk Contest – Members of each chapter will be judged for showing off the best dunks.

7 p.m.
Location: Great Hall, TUC
Step Show Competition – Every Greek chapter will prepare a step show, featuring four-to-10 members.

Friday, April 22

4 p.m.
Location: Phi Delta Theta house, 2718 Digby Ave.
Belly Flop Contest – The contest will feature one participant per chapter. Contestants will be judged on creativity, crowd participation, costume and quality of their belly flop. Points will be awarded to the top three sororities and the top three fraternities.

7 p.m.
Location: Great Hall, TUC
Napoleon Dynamite – Two of the co-stars of Napoleon Dynamite, Effren Ramirez (Pedro) and Aaron Ruell (Kip Dynamite), will give a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the popular movie. The talk, free and open to the public, will be followed by a question-and-answer session and autograph signings. The event is sponsored by Greek Week, Programs & Activities Council (PAC) and MainStreet, which will be offering $2 showings of Napoleon Dynamite through the week in MainStreet Cinema. Information: 513-556-6102.

Saturday, April 23

11 a.m.
Location: Sigma Sigma Commons
Greek Games – Teams will participate in contests including the human pyramid, egg toss, obstacle course, tug-o-war, chariot race, troll toss and slip ‘n’ slide.

7 p.m.
Location: Zimmer Auditorium
Greek Awards Banquet – The winners of Greek Week will be announced, as will the Order of Omega awards and Greek Affairs Council Awards.