IFC, Panhel cook for a cause

Greeks across campus are going to be busy putting on aprons and rattling pots and pans this week as they cook and serve food to the city's less fortunate. Fraternity and sorority members came to the Newman Center at 3720 Chestnut Street last night to work as volunteers on the first day of Greek Community Service Week -- a project uniting the InterFraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council with Civic House. Civic House, which opened in September, serves as a gathering place and a resource center for University community service groups -- including the Greek organizations -- all of which do at least one community service project a semester. Unfortunately, there were not enough jobs for all the volunteers who came to work with the chosen charity, the University City Hospitality Coalition, which provides hot meals for the homeless six nights a week at local churches. Greek volunteers will attend the soup kitchens every night this week. All told, there were about 15 people, Greek and non-Greek, working in the kitchen last night, but another 20 were lounging on couches outside because there were "too many cooks in the kitchen." "There's 40 of us down here [sitting around]," said College junior Sloane Krumland, an Alpha Tau Omega brother. "It's kind of pathetic right now." Lee Ann Draud, meal coordinator for the UCHC, said that "it's nice that there are so many people who want to help, but there is only so much people can do." When informed of the overcrowded kitchen, Sara Greene, the associate director of Civic House, said she was happy that so many students came out even if "we over-anticipated the number of volunteers that were needed." Although the kickoff day to he service week had a slightly bumpy start, the organizers have nothing but enthusiasm for a future alliance between the Greeks and the Civic House. The IFC still has to vote on the partnership, but IFC President Josh Belinfante, a College senior, said he was sure that the agreement would be approved. "This is the start of a new era for the Greek system," said College junior Megan Davidson, a member of the Civic House Steering Committee. She added that "it's already in the charters for fraternities and sororities that they have to do community service. We're facilitating that." Davidson explained that UCHC was selected for the first project because it it is local and manageable, and the homeless problem is visible to Penn students. "We're really excited because Panhel and IFC have never worked with a formal organization to do community service before," said Liz Bernard, Panhel's executive vice president. Next semester there will be a Greek "day of service" when each chapter will sponsor an individual event, Greene said. She added that in the fall the Greeks will focus on three ongoing service projects that the different fraternities and sororities will work on weekly. "It's an idea that could benefit the community and campus," Belinfante said. He added that with the new partnership, "[Greek] houses have a place they can go for information and Civic House has a place they can go for manpower."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.