Sigma Chi's annual charity event, Derby Days, ended Saturday, after raising an estimated $1,400 for the Children's Miracle Network, a series of hospitals designed to provide free or compensated health care to children across North America.
Derby Days, a Sigma Chi event held nationwide, is centered on a weeklong competition, with teams of five members competing and participating in events scheduled throughout the week. Twenty-seven teams competed this year in the seventh annual Derby Days.
Derby Days chair Matt Klaus, a Sigma Chi brother and senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, called the event a success.
"I've run it once before and I think this year went really well" Klaus said. "It's great to end it with a nice donation to the Children's Miracle Network."
Klaus said he was pleased with the amount of money raised. The budget for Derby Days was completely cut this year, and the event was run purely on donations.
"Even without a budget we were still able to meet our goal," said Klaus.
Teams competed for the grand prize of round trip tickets from Independence Air and Air Tran Airways. Prizes were awarded to the top 10 teams with the most points at the end of the week.
In one event, teams earned points by tackling or capturing Sigma Chi brothers running around campus.
"I liked chasing the brothers, I felt like a kid again," said Amy Caroll, a junior in the School of Public Affairs. "It was strange, but it really did bring us all together. I felt a real sense of the AU community."
Some students also earned points for their teams by participating in a 5K run sponsored by Team Runn'g Heads, a student club. Proceeds from that event went to Habitat for Humanity.
Teams were made up of members of other fraternities or sororities, campus organizations, or just groups of friends. The winning team was a team not affiliated with Greek life called "The Romans." Team captain and SPA senior Mike Santora says he will use his ticket to go to Las Vegas.
