5X’s Fraternity and Sorority Life recently hosted Songfest, its largest annual philanthropic event. After totaling ticket sales, fundraising efforts and some last-minute donations, the Greek community was able to raise $56,500 for the King Kennedy Community Center.
This breaks the record previously set in 2013 when Kent State’s Greek community raised $49,027 for RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network).
“Kent State Fraternity and Sorority Life outdid themselves this year,” said Della Marie Marshall, senior associate director of the Center for Student Involvement at Kent State. “I’m so proud of not only their fundraising efforts, but also how they connected with the families of the King Kennedy Center.”
The event, which took place Nov. 22, is the one event each year where the entire Greek community comes together to raise money and awareness for a nonprofit organization.
During Songfest, teams of fraternities and sororities performed skits and musical sets to explain the purpose of the King Kennedy Community Center. Their performances were judged based on singing ability, choreography, costumes and creativity.
The People’s Choice award, which was selected by the nearly 1,500 people in attendance, went to the green team (Chi Omega, Phi Delta Theta and Alpha Epsilon Phi) with their skit “School of Rock.”
The night’s big winner was the orange team, which was made up of Delta Gamma, Phi Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Chi. They took home awards for Top Fundraiser, Top Performance and Overall Songfest Winner. The overall winner was determined based on activities leading up to the event as well as points earned for their performance.
The local connection to the King Kennedy Community Center in Ravenna, Ohio, along with a larger venue for the event, set the stage for Songfest 2015 to be one of the most memorable nights in Songfest history.
“Working with a local organization was incredible because we had the opportunity to meet some of the amazing people we were helping,” said Keri Richmond, a junior public relations major at Kent State and vice president of philanthropy and community service for the Panhellenic Council. “On top of that, with the event being in the MAC Center for the first time ever, we were able to invite the local community as well as our families."
Songfest is just one of the many philanthropic events hosted and supported by Kent State’s Fraternity and Sorority Life. The community donates nearly 30,000 service hours annually and fundraises more than $360,000 for local and national organizations each year.
About the King Kennedy Community Center
The King Kennedy Community Center was established in 1978 to meet the needs of the underprivileged in Portage County. The center provides organized recreational programs for both the elderly and the young, promotes cultural awareness, enhances individual self-worth and encourages self-growth.