eGreek Forum Newsletter

by B.J. Michaels '12, Sigma Alpha Mu and Rachel Leopold ‘13, Sigma Delta Tau

On Sunday, April 11th Big Red Relief hosted their annual benefit concert in Barton Hall. 

This year, due to the recent earthquake in Haiti and the large outcry of support on campus, Big Red Relief decided to donate all of the money raised to the GHESKIO clinic in Port-au-Prince and named their concert “Help Heal Haiti.” 

The GHESKIO clinic usually deals with HIV and AIDS but is currently functioning as a health clinic and refugee camp and is affiliated with Cornell Weill Medical College.The concert was the end result of months of planning, which involved choosing the acts, working with a production team, raising awareness and funds, while actively promoting the concert through word of mouth, posters, and tabling across campus. 

With aid from Alpha Epsilon Phi, Kappa Alpha Theta, Alpha Sigma Phi (Rockledge), Sigma Alpha Mu, Sigma Delta Tau, Alpha Phi Omega, as well as many other campus groups, Big Red Relief was able to raise over $2000. They were also able to throw an amazing concert hosting 10 of the biggest performance groups on campus such as Cayuga’s Waiters, Bhangra, Chordials, and BASE for a crowd of about 200 people.  Big Red Relief also sold “Help Heal Haiti” livestrong style bracelets designed by Sigma Alpha Mu whose proceeds also went to the GHESKIO clinic. 

by Hannah Deixler, Sigma Delta Tau Sorority

In April, the Sigma Delta Tau 2010 pledge class joined forces with Sigma Pi to raise money for First Book Cornell in our annual event “Bowling for Books.”  We rented out Helen Newman for the evening and invited anyone we could to come bowl and have a good time.  We had an amazing turnout—besides the members of both of our respective chapters, people from all over campus (Greeks and non-Greeks) came out to support this cause.

First Book Cornell is an organization that works to provide underprivileged children in the Ithaca and Tompkins County area with books.  It is part of the First Book Advisory Board that does this work all over the country.  In the past 8 years, First Book Cornell has distributed 9500 books to local programs helping needy children.  We raised over $500 at Bowling for Books, which will certainly help the organization continue to grow. 

We are very proud of all the work that was put into the evening, and even prouder of the results.  We look forward to a lasting alliance with First Book Cornell, as the work they have done in our local schools and programs is commendable.  Thanks to everyone who made time in your busy schedules to bowl with us and help purchase books!  We had a great time, and we look forward to making an even larger donation next year!