Greeks and non-Greeks alike competed for the title of Miss Aphrodite Saturday, and even a brief police interruption did not kill the mood.

The 9th annual Miss Aphrodite Competition, held at the Days Inn, included non-Greek contestants for the first time.

But the police were notified after Days Inn employees confiscated 40 oz. beer bottles from the judges sitting in the front of the room. Audience members were also found with bottles and cups of alcohol. Though no one was arrested, the police waited for those in possession of alcohol to either dispose of it or leave the venue.

Ian Friedman, a brother at the Delta Chi fraternity, which hosted the event alongside Just Dance 5, went on stage and warned everyone to get rid of their alcohol or the event would be over.

Attendees of the event said that the police appearance was unfair for the people who were supporting their friends and charity, as well as to the contestants who had prepared for the night.

“I think the cops being called was completely unnecessary. There were only a small percentage of people drinking,” said Nicole Groysman, a junior majoring in marketing. “We were there for a charity event and to support our friends that were competing.”

Other students offered different opinions on the matter.

“I think the Binghamton police should have came in third place because their entrance was a lot more memorable than one of the girl’s Snoop Dog police impersonation,” said Rachel McNair, a freshman majoring in psychology.

Despite this setback, the event raised nearly $5,500 for the Jimmy V. foundation, an organization dedicated to cancer research, $2,500 more than last year’s competition.

This year, part of the profits also went towards the Magic Paintbrush Project, a local foundation that orchestrates community engagement projects to help individuals of all ages with special needs. One contestant, Brooke Miller, a senior majoring in finance, thought that the Magic Paintbrush Project was a good beneficiary.

“[The Magic Paintbrush Project] is a nice outlet of creativity and helps with social anxiety right here in Binghamton,” Miller said. “The opportunity to donate $500 would be amazing.”

The contest featured an entrance, talent, and toga section, accompanied by a question-and-answer segment. Judges represented a member of each fraternity at the event, evaluating the women based on creativity and their overall performance. Additionally, each woman could gain points by raising money for penny wars in which each contestant tabled in the University Union and collected spare change.

Lindsay Kuropatkin, a member of Sigma Delta Tau and a senior majoring in English, was eventually crowned Miss Aphrodite.

While the competition used to be held exclusively for sorority members, this year, for the second time, it opened its arms to any female student who feels she embodies the qualities of a Greek goddess. Seven women represented each sorority, with the exception of SAEPi, and three women represented themselves.

However, Samantha Vulpis, a contestant representing Delta Phi Epsilon, believes the contest should remain exclusively Greek.

“I think if someone feels like a Greek goddess they should probably just join Greek life,” Vulpis said. “I think Miss Aphrodite should be someone who is an absolute model of what being Greek is about — someone who truly cares about the Greek community, her academics, the community and just helping people in general.”