Greeks dunk for good cause

Kayla Webley
2004-04-07
The Daily

Marcus Whittaker of Delta Tau Delta fraternity lifted off from 10 feet away, soaring and twisting before crashing down, ball in hand, on the basketball rim to seal the win.

Whittaker was the winner of the slam-dunk portion of the slam-dunk and three-point contest organized by the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Ian Tushar of Lambda Chi Alpha took the other half of the event, sinking 10 in 30 seconds.

The event, held yesterday afternoon at the Delta Upsilon fraternity, was part of the Pi Beta Phi Arrow Games, a week-long philanthropy. The crowd packed the court, enjoying music provided by KUBE 93.3 and supporting the cause by buying some of the 200 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts the sorority was selling.

The basketball contest was the biggest fundraising event of the week and alone raised an estimated $1,500, bringing the current week's total to an estimated $4,000, according to Ashleigh Clark, philanthropy chair for Pi Beta Phi.

The money from this event goes primarily to YMCA of Greater Seattle and also to Washington literacy groups.

"The YMCA we support is right up the street ... we have worked with them doing a lot of little events. This year we are going to donate most of our money to them," said Clark. "We put a little of [the money] towards our national philanthropy for literacy, but the vast majority of it will go to the YMCA."

According to Clark, the sorority hopes to raise $7,000 for the week.

In addition to raising money, the week gives the opportunity to unite for a good cause, said Clark.

"People really want the opportunity to do a good thing by helping a charity and making a difference, but it's hard to do that as an individual; our house gives people the opportunity," she said. "When you are working together for something positive it is an amazing thing to watch how everyone has come together."

The week consists of many events, including a football tournament, live date auction and dessert bar. There are 24 fraternities participating.

"I don't think you can get that type of an atmosphere that a philanthropy creates from anything else," said Clark of the event. "I was very proud to be in my house and be a member of the Greek system because there were so many people out there."