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Courtesy of Katie Harris[/caption]
Maura Jones, Alpha Omicron Pi’s philanthropy chairwoman and a senior social and behavioral studies major, confirmed over $1,000 was raised during the Spike Out Arthritis event on Oct. 16.
The event included a volleyball tournament and prize raffles, with the goal of raising money for the Arthritis Foundation.
“We make it our mission to spread awareness and make money for the [Arthritis] Foundation,” Jones said.
About 200 people attended the event where AOII sister, Haley Grant, a guest speaker, discussed her own experience with arthritis.
The event also had an information table with AOII members who are affected by arthritis. They distributed pamphlets and discussed their disease.
With six members each, 20 teams entered the volleyball tournament and competed on the Galleon Lawn from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Fraternity Pi Kappa Phi’s team, The Crows, won the event and chose to donate their winnings back to the Arthritis Foundation.
Teams donated $30 to join the tournament, while guests donated $3 to attend. Each guest received three raffle tickets and could purchase additional tickets at the event.
Prizes included gift baskets of candy, lottery scratch-offs, beauty, crafting and baking supplies.
“It’s something that not a lot of people think about as a disability,” Jones said. “This is something a lot of people are affected by.”
As a new sorority, this was the first year AOII held Spike Out Arthritis.
Every AOII chapter holds an event for the organization’s Strike Out Arthritis campaign, which
began in 2001.
“Strike Out Arthritis! was originally founded with a baseball theme,” according to the orgaizations website. “Over time, chapters have adapted this theme to fit their campuses and communities, resulting in a variety of types of events that raise money for arthritis.”
Jones said that the sorority thought there were a lot of girls who really enjoyed volleyball and it seemed like something this campus would enjoy, especially considering the involvement in intramural sports.
AOII will be hosting additional events to raise money and awareness for the Arthritis Foundation.
The organization’s next event will be on Oct. 30 and any money raised from the event will go toward the Arthritis Foundation as well.
Katelyn Fatzler can be reached at katelyn.fatzler@student.shu.edu.
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