On Sunday, Binghamton University’s Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council hosted Kickball for a Kause, raising over $2,000 for the Binghamton Boys and Girls Club.
Eleven social fraternities, all four social sororities and over 250 students and faculty, including President Harvey Stenger, Vice President of Student Affairs Brian Rose, Dean of Students April Thompson and Assistant Dean of Students Milton Chester, participated in the first annual Kickball for a Kause tournament.
Zach Stein, president of the Interfraternity Council and president of Alpha Chi Rho, said he was very pleased with Kickball for a Kause’s inaugural event.
“This is the first year we have had it and we hope to make it an annual event,” said Stein, a senior majoring in anthropology. “Everyone there seemed to love it and asked if we could do more events like this in the future.”
Steven Johnson, president of Alpha Sigma Phi, said his fraternity had been thinking about ideas for charity events since last year.
“Towards the end of last semester our frat had been kicking the idea around for a new charity event and eventually we came upon the idea for a kickball tournament,” said Johnson, a senior majoring in financial economics. “The IFC and the Panhellenic Council picked it up and then got everyone together for the event at Arnold Park.”
In addition to raising over $2,000 for the Binghamton Boys and Girls Club, the fraternities and sororities involved donated the equipment used during the tournament to the organization.
Samantha Vulpis, president of the Panhellenic Council, said she was not only impressed with the success of the event, but also with the unity of the Greek community.
“I think overall the event was a huge success,” said Vulpis, a senior double-majoring in finance and political science. “Everyone really pulled together in order to make the event not only really fun, but to raise a lot of money for a great cause. I think the Greek community is really starting to show unity and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the semester goes.”
Carrie Hecker, a member of the Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority and a junior majoring in marketing and entrepreneurship, said that the event was great social experience.
“It was a great event for all of the Greek organizations to have fun and get to know each other better,” Hecker said. “I met a lot of new people that I didn’t know before.”
The winner of the tournament was Tau Epsilon Phi, who won over Stein’s fraternity in the finals.
“My hope is that in the future, the event will attract more fraternities,” Stein said. “I believe that after they hear about how much fun the event was, they will want to join in for the next time.”