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Pepperdine Greek System Supports Cancer Research Through Derby Days

Pepperdine University students and visitors may wonder why there is a teeter-totter on the Malibu campus throughout the week of October 14 to 17. The answer is Derby Days, the Sigma Chi fraternity's weeklong, annual philanthropy event to raise money and awareness for the City of Hope Cancer Research Center in Durante, California.

"The teeter-totter represents the ongoing battle with cancer and the nonstop effort to find a cure," says chapter president Mike Viola. "Raising funds for the City of Hope is a very personal mission for our chapter because we've had a couple of different members who've had family members who have been patients there."

In addition to the teeter-totter, which will be manned by two people at all times from Tuesday to Friday, Sigma Chi will host several other activities and contests to raise funds, culminating with a powder-puff football tournament and homerun derby contest on Friday, Oct. 17.

On Tuesday night, Oct. 14, Sigma Chi will host a "Coaches Auction," in which sororities can bid on the fraternity member they most want to serve as their coach for the powder-puff football game. Each of Pepperdine's seven sororities will compete against each other for participation points in other events including "Sign a Sig" on Wednesday, Oct. 15; "Skit Night" on Thursday, Oct. 16; and the powder-puff game on Friday, Oct. 17. The winning sorority will be announced at a barbeque held after the game.

"I think it's great event," says Jake Gross, student organizations coordinator, "It creates a lot of awareness for City of Hope and raises a lot of money."

According to Viola, Sigma Chi raised $10,500 last year. "I'm a senior, and since I've been at Pepperdine, every year we've gone higher and higher with our Derby Days total," Viola says. "I would like to see us beat last year's number."

For more information on the City of Hope, visit www.cityofhope.org.