Organizations banded together for Truman State University’s 2021 homecoming to raise $15,707 for the Forest Lake Area Trail System.
FLATS is a volunteer-based organization in Kirksville whose goal is to create a 4-mile trail connecting Kirksville to Thousand Hills State Park, according to their website.
Olivia Daehnke, Alpha Gamma Delta director of activities and leadership, said, “It’s been really exciting, and it’s nice to see everyone come together for a similar cause and work towards one thing to better our community.”
Philanthropy is probably the biggest part of homecoming, Daehnke said. She said she personally organized about four events in the last month, working to raise money for FLATS.
Alpha Gamma Delta has raised over $1,400, Daehnke said.
Daehnke said she was thankful her chapter was so willing to help organize events and they were ready to jump right in.
“It felt like the whole community was working towards something,” Daehnke said. “It gave me ideas, it gave me a lot of people [who were] willing to step up and help.”
Alpha Gamma Delta held a delivery night, where they purchased items from To Die For Bakery, then sold and delivered them to people’s houses. Daehnke said the fundraiser was extremely successful and her organization sold over 100 goods in one night.
The sorority worked with Delta Chi to host a “Pie an AGD or DChi” event. Patrons purchased plates with whipped cream and shaving cream for $3 and were able to pie members.
“It was fun because even people who were in the sorority wanted to come out and pie their friends,” Daehnke said.
Daehnke said they made almost $300 from that event. She said she wants people to take advantage of the philanthropy events and look at how the money raised supports the Truman and Kirksville community.
“Greek life is full of very passionate and hardworking people,” Daehnke said. “When we come together to accomplish a goal, we can get it done.”
“I think the most challenging part is just that there are so many events for homecoming, which is awesome, but so much work goes into each little event that a lot of people don’t see,” Daehnke said.
Over homecoming, another sorority on campus, Delta Zeta, raised $4,052.
Delta Zeta hosted various events to raise money, such as Date a Delta Zeta, selling Insomnia Cookies on the Quad and a Mi Casa profit share night, Abby Smeltzer, Delta Zeta president said.
The Date a Delta Zeta event involved nine Delta Zeta members auctioning off an evening of their time to go out for a date to Mi Casa.
Insomnia Cookies is a chain of bakeries, with a location in Columbia, Missouri, which Delta Zeta went to and brought back to sell on the Quad.
“People kind of go insane for this event, Insomnia Cookies, because unless they want to drive an hour and a half for one cookie, they’re not going to do it,” Kylie Modaff, a Delta Zeta member said. “So, having [the cookies] here, the people just love it.”
The organization also hosted a Mi Casa profit share night, during which Mi Casa donated 10% of their profits to Delta Zeta, Smeltzer said.
Delta Zeta then put that money towards the money raised for FLATS.
This year’s homecoming also brought in new organizations that want to be involved in the events. One of those organizations is Phi Sigma Pi Fraternity’s Beta chapter.
Phi Sigma Pi is a national honor fraternity of around 60 members. Phi Sigma Pi has never been involved in homecoming until this year.
“I decided it would be a really good idea to get Phi Sigma Pi involved in homecoming because we have never done it before,” Maddie McGregor, Phi Sigma Pi recruitment adviser said. “I thought it would be a great way to get involved and get acquainted with other organizations on campus.”
Phi Sigma Pi decided to participate in the Baltimore St. level of participation, McGregor said.
There are different levels of participation, each level having more events and responsibilities as they go up. Baltimore St. level does most events, except for the lip-sync event and being involved with team philanthropy. A level of participation is chosen before an organization begins raising money.
Phi Sigma Pi raised the most money in the Baltimore St. category. Phi Sigma Pi put on various events to raise money, such as a Pie a Brother event and an earring fundraiser.
The Pie a Brother event made around $250.
The earring fundraiser began because one of the Phi Sigma Pi members makes earrings as a hobby, so they were asked to put their hobby toward helping raise money for FLATS, McGregor said.
“I think the most rewarding part is at the very end of homecoming week when you see the big check that the homecoming committee is holding that we are donating to our chosen philanthropy and that you know that you made a big difference,” Daehnke said.