Delta Delta Delta raises money for cancer research at annual philanthropy.
By Mary Wisniewski
Staff Writer
Clowns strutting by the fountain. Children throwing wet sponges at guys squatting behind a bikini cutout. Streamers and balloons smothering Elkins Auditorium were just some of the sights you’d see walking in and around Joslyn Plaza Oct. 25. Not exactly your typical afternoon at Pepperdine. After all, it was Delta Delta Delta’s philanthropy day: Fashion For Life.
The event was hosted to raise money primarily for the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles’ Cancer Research Division. A smaller portion of the profits will go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. — a hospital Tri Delta sponsors nationally as a chapter.
In previous years, Tri Delta has given the hospitals more than $10,000. This year, they MORGANA WINGARD/
hope to be able to give them even more. STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
According to the Children’s Cancer Association, 10,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year. In 2001 alone, 1,500 children died because of the disease.
President of Tri Delta, Adrian Granzella, said that’s why the sorority backs the cause: “to help find a cure.”
Tri Delta has been preparing for Fashion For Life for the past five months said Melissa Romley, the philanthropy’s chairperson. In previous years, the event only consisted of a fashion show. This year, it was expanded to a carnival which ran from 2 to 4 p.m. Booths included face-painting, penny tossing for teddy bears, cake walks and fortune telling.
Public representative for Tri Delta, Jenn Chan, said, “we wanted to raise the bar and make it bigger.” Chan said they wanted to involve the whole Malibu community instead of just Pepperdine.
Tri Delta had been hoping children from the hospital with cancer would come out to the carnival and possibly judge the fashion show. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to attend. Still, other kids showed up.
Samantha Stephenson, freshman and pledge of Tri Delta, painted faces and said it was fun to be around the kids who came. Children smiled as they left her booth with butterfly prints on their cheeks.
The clothes worn had been collected from local retail shops at Jen Audrey, Trip, Sugar, Becker and Samantha. The models were two Pepperdine students from each sorority and fraternity. The cost was a mere $3.
Elkins was decorated with bright balloons, paper maché clowns and orange flowers as well as colorful streamers. “The Sign” by musical group Ace of Base blasted throughout the room as the crowd sat down, smiling and laughing. A video played introducing Tri Delta’s national philanthropy.
Out came the models.
“You are so sexy!” was just one of the remarks made while the ladies sported evening, casual and bedtime wear.
Announcer junior Jessica Blackstock said, “And now for the men,” and the predominately female crowd went crazy. The men came in one by one, some dancing, others unbuttoning a few buttons to get a couple more shouts.
As the show ended, all were invited to sign get well cards to the children with cancer as well as read literature about the cancer research program.
Upon leaving Elkins, Tri Delta members were already disassembling the booths and banners. Soon, the only evidence a carnival and fashion show had just occurred was a few chalk marks on the sidewalk.
November 06, 2003