Sigma Nu - Gamma Chapter

Like all other facets of fraternal life, philanthropy is integral to efforts of the Gamma chapter. Coming off a year in which the chapter earned an excellent rating in philanthropy and community outreach, the brothers of Gamma chapter are looking to not only sustain their philanthropic success, but also continue to build on it.
 
One of the newest initiatives this year is the Ronald McDonald House pop tab drive. Every year, the Ronald McDonald House makes a considerable amount of money off of collected pop tabs. With an affiliate house just down Alexander Avenue from Gamma Chapter’s section on central campus, brothers have begun diligently collecting pop tabs from every canned beverage consumed socially or casually. Within a matter of weeks, the chapter has already collected thousands of tabs, and we have begun working to make this a Greek wide competition amongst fraternities.
 
While this is one of the newer philanthropy projects the chapter has been undertaking, there are a number of other projects that the Gamma chapter is building on from previous years. On Friday Oct. 4, Sigma Nu partnered with the brothers of Kappa Alpha Order and Sigma Alpha Epsilon in hosting the second annual Greek Grilloff for Face Your Challenges (FYC). FYC was founded by the Gamma Chapter in wake of brother Chris Sander’s suicide in 2007, and advocates for mental health exercise and awareness amongst college students. The barbecue was hosted at Sigma Nu section, and ended up raising almost $1000 for FYC through t-shirt and food sales. That money will be used to help FYC carry meet a number of its goals, most notable of which is a benefit concert in the spring co-hosted by national mental health charity To Write Love On Her Arms.
 
Another one of Gamma Chapter’s largest philanthropy initiatives is the Angels Among Us 5K in the spring semester. For the past several years, Sigma Nu has partnered with Angels Among Us, a charity that funds research for brain cancer, to host their largest regional event. Brothers assist with fundraising throughout the year, as waking up at 4 a.m. the day of the race to set up and work the race. Last year’s 5K was the most successful yet, raising over $2 million for research, and Sigma Nu’s partnership was a bona fide part of that effort.
 
While these are some of the philanthropic headliners, they are by no means the only philanthropic endeavors. Numerous brothers participate community outreach programs, from tutoring in Durham Public Schools to serving as the IFC’s Director of Community Outreach. Last year Sigma Nu nationals gave the Gamma Chapter an excellent rating, and the dedication brothers have already demonstrated this school year indicate that that won’t change.