For many Penn students, Sunday morning doesn't start until at least noon.
Not so, however, for 10 brothers from the Sigma Nu fraternity.
Using only bed sheets, spray paint and determination, the brothers woke up early Sunday morning to build a community haunted house for the People's Emergency Center, a social service agency located on 39th Street just north of Powelton Avenue that provides housing and assistance for families facing homelessness and poverty.
Each of the eight compartmental rooms has a theme, from "Michael Vick's Dogg Pound" to "CSI: Crime Scene Invitation" according to Khalil Shearlds, Education Program Manager and head teacher at PEC, who watched over the boys as they hung sheets and spray painted fake blood and guts.
"We've been looking for bigger service projects . where we feel we are really contributing to others" said College senior and Sigma Nu Community Service Chair Dave Weinreb, who learned of the opportunity through the Civic House listserv.
Sigma Nu does not have a community service requirement, according to fraternity president and Engineering junior Andrew Smith, but "most of the members end up giving a couple hours a semester to the community," he added.
College senior Noah Weiss enjoyed simultaneously getting his hands dirty and hanging out with his friends, saying the build was "a lot more fun and rewarding than picking up trash."
College sophomore Jake Walker - who gave up not only the chance to sleep but also breakfast with his parents - wound caution tape around the front of the playground to give the area a spooky atmosphere.
While this was Sigma Nu's first year participating, PEC has been erecting a haunted house on their playground for the past 10 to 15 years, according to Trish Downey, manager of External Communications for PEC.
"I think we're going to try and do this more and more" said Weiss. "It only took a phone call . waking up at nine on a Sunday morning and walking five minutes from where I live" to make a difference in the lives of 250 kids.
Children over six will explore the house on Thursday night and encounter volunteers dressed to scare, including clowns with silly string and vampires out to suck blood.
The under-six set will have arts and crafts projects, such as face painting and decorating a pumpkin picture, for entertainment.
The completed project will scare over 200 local children when they converge on the area on Thursday night.
Those interested in working at the house on Thursday evening can contact Dave Weinreb at DavidJW@sas.upenn.edu. All are welcome to come in costume.
