Greeks "anchored" in charity B-ball
Ryan Tubongbanua / The Collegian
Junior psychology major and Phi Kappa Alpha member Jeremy Wittman was among the players in Sunday’s “Anchor Slam” charity tournament. |
By Maria Miranda
The Collegian
Loud music, stiff competition, good food and a great cause was the theme of the day at the Delta Gamma’s annual Anchor Slam basketball tournament.
Eleven sororities and fraternities gathered Sunday to participate in the all-day tournament with one goal in mind: to have fun while raising money for the Friendship Center for the Blind and a program for the blind at Wolters Elementary School.
“This event and everything we raise, even from selling candy, goes to them,” said Kim Johnson, an mass communication and journalism major and director of the tournament. “We’ve already raised over $2,500 and we will be bringing in more at the snack bar.”
The $2,500 came from registration fees sororities and fraternities playing in the tournament. Each paid $50 to participate with an additional $10 for those sororities or fraternities wanting to enter a second team.
“Most fraternities signed up two teams since they’re so competitive,” Johnson said.
The donation is meant to help fund new equipment for the Friendship Center as well as trips to Disneyland and the beach for students at Wolters Elementary.
Johnson said the turnout for the tournament was impressive, especially the number of fraternities involved.
“We weren’t able to do Anchor Slam last spring so the fraternities were excited that we were able to do it again,” Johnson said. “That’s why there was such a good turnout.”
The teams playing faced double elimination and were broken up into teams of three. The first team to reach 20 points was the winner, or whoever was in the lead after 20 minutes of playing.
The winner received a golden basketball from Delta Gamma. The sorority will also host a barbecue for the winning team.
For those taking part in the tournament, it wasn’t about the trophy. It was about having a good time for a good cause.
“We can come together and still have fun and yet raise money for charity,” said Travis Bader, a senior and business major from Sigma Chi. “I get exercise and the satisfaction of helping out charities.”
Chelsi Silva, a senior and political science major from Alpha Xi Delta, said her favorite part was the camaraderie.
“I’m here to have tons of fun and just enjoy the Greek life and give back to the community,” Silva said.
For others, the competition was the best part.
“When you get a group of people together wearing the same letters, they’re going to want to go up against other houses,” said Alyssa Takeda, a freshman biology major and director of public relations for Delta Gamma. “The competitiveness is the by far the best, but also the ability to come together for a great cause.”
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