Whether you are new to campus or have called UW-La Crosse home for a while now, you most likely know how awesome the Greek community is here in La Crosse. Embodying and advocating great values such as friendship, learning and cultivation of leadership, just to name a few, the chapters set a great example for students and the La Crosse community as a whole.
What many may not know, however, is how dedicated Greek organizations are to philanthropic activities. Largely advocating service, UW-L’s Greek community is very committed to both local and national causes. Though UW-L may have a smaller Greek community than some other universities, the sororities and fraternities that make up the Greek community on campus aren’t any less passionate or dedicated to their chapters.
For those who may be unfamiliar, there are seven chapters on campus – two sororities, Alpha Xi Delta and Alpha Phi, and five fraternities, Alpha Sigma Phi, Chi Phi, Delta Sigma Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Tau Gamma.
Since each fraternity and sorority on campus is an individual chapter representative of a National Greek Organization, each will typically have one philanthropic cause that they support through their National Office. For instance, Chi Phi supports the Boys and Girls Club of America (BGC), Alpha Xi Delta supports Autism Speaks and Sigma Alpha Epsilon supports the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, just to name a few.
In addition to their work and dedication to these national causes, UW-L’s Greek community is also very devoted to local causes, fundraisers and charities.
For instance, the President of Chi Phi, Scott Winters, shared that the event that the chapter is perhaps most proud of is the annual Sara Hougam Charity Softball Tournament, which has taken place at the end of April the past two years. The event is hosted in memory of Sara Hougom, who was tragically murdered in March of 2012 in her La Crosse apartment.
Scott explained, “Chi Phi started the tournament to raise awareness of the violence that happens in the La Crosse community.”
In 2013, $1,200 was donated to UW-L’s Violence Prevention Office, and in 2014, $4,000 was donated to the La Crosse Police Department to help support their new community policing program.