Fraternal philanthropy is in full effect on Creighton’s campus as the members of Phi Delta Theta kicked off April with a fundraiser supporting individuals with ALS on Thursday.
Despite sleet, snow and rain, various members of the fraternity manned their seesaw for 12 hours in the cold, wet conditions to raise money for the LiveLikeLou Foundation. Members of the fraternity cycled in and out over the course of the day at their station outside the Harper Center.
Phi Delta Theta sophomores Jacek Balicki and Adree Kakish both said that they were unphased by the weather conditions.
“A little bit of cold and rain won’t stop us from showing support and helping those who need it,” Balicki said.
The LiveLikeLou organization was founded in 2012 by Phi Delt alumni and fellow fraternity brother, Neil Alexander in memoriam of Lou Gehrig. Alexander was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, and his charity has become a mainstay of Phi Delta Theta’s philanthropic efforts.
Since its inception, the organization has become a standalone nonprofit. “The LiveLikeLou Foundation is committed to making an impact on ALS research,” the organization said.
Current members of the fraternity expressed their desire to help the ALS community. “Our philanthropy is one of the most important aspects of being in Phi Delt,” senior member Danny Newman said, “LiveLikeLou is especially important to us because of the connection our national chapter has.”
“During the 2016–17 academic year, Phi Delta Theta’s undergraduates alone raised more than $1 million for philanthropic causes,” said Vice President of growth and communications Steve Good. “With approximately 50% of those dollars being raised for ALS-related causes.”
Thursday’s fundraiser reportedly raised $120, which some members expressed disappointment with. However, Newman says that this is only one of many fundraisers Phi Delt will do throughout 2022, and he emphasized that “every dollar counts.”
