Community service day kicks off Greek Week

This year's Greek Week began Saturday with a new focus on introducing freshmen to the system and its commitment to community service projects. "[The program's] main purpose is to bolster Greek spirit and Greek unity," said Greek Week Co-Chairperson Matthew Gilroy, a Wharton senior. "This year there's a little more focus on freshmen meeting the Greeks because rush has been moved back [to the spring]." The week began Saturday morning with a Community Service Day, modeled after a similar program held last spring. Greeks worked to help spruce up schools in the West Philadelphia area. "It's a continuing effort by the umbrella Greek organizations to provide unified community service projects to their members," said InterFraternity Council Community Service Co-Coordinator and Wharton junior Tim Lash. "We're coordinating the mass of people we have to benefit West Philadelphia." Lash, who is also IFC secretary, estimated that between 150 and 200 Greek members attended the effort. The work was done in conjunction with Philadelphia Cares Day, a city-wide cleanup project. "It was a matter of hooking up with a group already doing community service during Greek Week," Lash said, explaining how they become involved with the project. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Assistant Director Tom Carroll emphasized that the annual "Meet the Greeks" event on Locust Walk will also be important this year. Chapters will set up tables along the Walk to provide information to those interested in rushing. Freshmen will also be able to register for next spring's rush. Also planned for the first time this year is "Greek Feast," which will be held Saturday at Hill Field. It is designed as a combination of music, food and the "Greek Olympics." "We're trying to make Greek Feast the culmination of the week's events," Carroll said. Several bands -- many with close affiliations to University Greek chapters -- have been booked for the event. The Greek Olympics will pit chapters against one another in events including human pyramids and eating contests. Carroll said the events had been scheduled separately in previous years, but were brought together this year to improve participation. Other events scheduled for the week include Letter Day today, when Greeks are encouraged to wear their letters, and a "bag lunch" day tomorrow on College Green. A special Greek party was also be held at FUBAR this weekend at 38th and Chestnut streets. Carroll said the events are aimed at getting members of different chapters to meet one another, and to acquaint potential members with the system. "We're trying to make Greek Week more accessible to everyone," said Greek Week Co-Chairperson Nagin Kormi, a College junior. "The main focus is to expose the community to what a wonderful system we have."

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