It’s that time of year again when the brothers of Sigma Chi spend their days and nights riding a teeter-totter dressing up like gossip girls and raising thousands of dollars for cancer research in the first major Greek philanthropy event of the year.
The annual Sigma Chi Derby Days fundraiser supports the City of Hope Cancer Research Center in Durante California.
Last year the fraternity raised $15000 dollars for City of Hope and plans on increasing that number this year. The week’s events include skit nights for Sigma Chi and for the sororities participating a sorority powderpuff game a cook-out and other activities.
Sigma Chi’s main symbol of Derby Days is their “Sig-Saw a seesaw stationed in front of the Waves Cafe all week. A fraternity brother is required to man the SigSaw 24 hours per day, all week — no matter the time of day or night. The message: cancer never sleeps.
It’s showing that this week is our ongoing fight said Hayden Gaussoin, a freshman pledge. Cancer is not a one-person battle. You need to feel the support from people around you.”
“Just like a seesaw you can’t do it alone Gaussoin added.
The sororities participate in all aspects of the event, and compete for points in the different activities.
Personally I enjoy just being aware and knowledgable about what City of Hope is and being able to say I’ve supported it in the past senior Kathryn Stirman, a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma.
I remember driving in my car about three months ago and hearing a City of Hope commercial on the radio Stirman added. It got me excited to think that I have contributed to the cause and reminded me of Derby Days and of the difference my sorority has made so far and will continue to make in the future.”