Greek teams took to Alumni Field on Saturday to partake in the annual Crescent Classic Gamma Games. The games, hosted by Pepperdine’s Gamma Phi Beta, sought to create some fun competition among the Greek sororities and fraternities while raising money for multiple charities.
The sorority raised about $3,500, and Gamma Phi Beta President Harper Matthews is hopeful that the donation will be matched by their headquarters to total roughly $7,000.
The overall winners of the day were Sigma Chi and Kappa Kappa Gamma. Other Greek organizations that won an award were Delta Tau Delta and Pi Beta Phi for the athletic portion of the competition.
The sororities and fraternities were broken into teams and competed in seven different field games, all for the opportunity to be the Crescent Classic Champions.
This year the Gamma Games included a silent auction, merchandise for sale and food. Tickets were sold for $5 the week leading up to the event and $7 at the event.
All proceeds of the event will go to Camp Fire USA, the Gamma Phi Beta Foundation and Camp Laurel.
Besides donating money, the Gamma Phi Beta chapters provide support for Camp Fire USA by doing volunteer work and sponsoring young girls in local programs.
Camp Fire USA is a nonprofit youth development organization that serves more than 650,000 participants each year. The organization holds after-school programs, camping and environmental education programs, childcare and service learning.
“It is Gamma Phi’s goal to let every child, especially young girls, learn what it means to be resilient,” Matthews said about supporting Camp Fire USA.
The Laurel Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to helping children who live with HIV and AIDS. They work to help children develop their self-esteem, self-awareness and self-fulfillment.
“Camp Laurel allows kids to just be kids and to forget the stress of a terrible disease that takes so many lives and just lets them be kids.”
Matthews said she believes the organizations that Gamma Phi Beta supports are important because “they instill pride, leadership and resiliency in today’s youth.”
