Columnist Erin Franczak writes about some of the recent philanthropy events hosted or sponsored by Alpha Epsilon Pi.
The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the smell of a great barbecue was wafting from the AEII house. Yes, the men of Alpha Epsilon Pi were having a cookout April 19 to raise money for the Athens County Dog Shelter. They had hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and popsicles. Props to the chef because everything looked and smelled delicious.
The best part — besides hanging out with the nicest gentlemen — was that the front yard was packed with dogs from the shelter handled by the Paws for a Cause crew. I was thrilled to see the two organizations come together, partly because I want everyone to be involved in Greek life, and I would love to see Greek life become more involved with other organizations. But it’s also really awesome to see all of Greek life coming together to support a great cause. When I was walking around and enjoying the festivities, I saw a lot of letters from the other sororities.
While I was there I talked to two men, Mike Habash and Matt Johnson, about the impact AEII has made on their lives. Habash and Johnson both agreed on the importance of brotherhood within the fraternity. Johnson then delved into more detail about how important philanthropy is and how helping the community is something he truly enjoys. Habash said that he loves being part of a fraternity that is making a difference.
The cookout isn’t the only event put on by the brothers this academic year. They sponsored the Got Swabbed? event this year, and Habash said that one of his brothers was a match to give bone marrow and saved someone’s life. On April 18, they hosted a Pie a Pi contest for only a dollar. It was great to see these men working so hard for a great cause while still having fun. I actually donated money and gave someone a pie in the face. I felt awkward at first, but it was still really fun to try. Now, I can check that box off my bucket list.
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If you still want to help out the brothers of AEII, I mentioned their brotherhood auction last week. It is this Thursday, and it should be really interesting to see who bids for whom. Habbash actually outbid his friend’s girlfriend last year. I definitely would check the event out. Once again, all the money goes to dogs! Dogs are amazing, so go and donate.
Erin Franczak is a freshman studying journalism. Have you attended an AEII philanthropy event? Email her at ef441614@ohio.edu.
