One of the best and most noteworthy aspects in which chapters of Greek life engage is in philanthropy events. While each sorority has its own specific type of service for which they raise money, the methods for this fundraising are at the discretion of the chapter. Recently, my Delta Gamma chapter at the University of Michigan hosted an event called “Cider for Sight” paired with another fraternity on campus, Beta Theta Pi. The Delta Gamma philanthropy is “Service for Sight,” meaning we work to raise money for organizations associated with the assistance of those with issues pertaining to their eyes.

According to philanthropy chair of Beta Theta Pi, Nathan Novaria, Cider for Sight came about because “Beta and DG share similar values” and Beta was interested in pairing with DG to assist in raising money for this cause. Motivation for the theme stemmed from the fact that the event occurs in October and fall in Michigan is most famous for its cider and donuts. This is Cider for Sight’s second year at the University and it consists of the sale of donuts, cider, and the ability to pie a volunteer member of either DG or Beta.

Members of both chapters can either work at the event or attend. I worked at Cider for Sight both years and can say that it was far more than a philanthropy event. The feeling of collaborating with a fraternity with similar values “to expand the understanding about Service for Sight” (according to Novaria), creates an atmosphere of energy and purpose. The event is held in Beta’s front yard which is filled with trees with leaves changing and is very scenic. Cider for Sight provides a way to both raise money for a worthy cause, and to allow the meeting of two organizations to engage socially.

Cider for Sight has been very successful, raising over $2,000 for Delta Gamma’s philanthropy. The promotion of events such as these in the Greek community represent both a positive movement toward collaboration among different chapters, and an age old tradition of cooperating to raise money for a good cause.