Greek Week kicks off festivities

Penn students are ready to “Get ‘em to the Greek” this week on campus by showing off their fraternity and sorority pride during Greek Week.

The annual celebration of fraternity and sorority life kicked off Monday boding a week of events focused on academics, camaraderie and athleticism.

Members started off their week of Greek pride by wearing their fraternity and sorority letters on campus Monday.

“We’re trying to focus on getting everyone in the Greek community involved,” Interfraternity Council President and Wharton junior Harris Heyer said.

This semester’s Greek Week will include an Academic Bowl on Tuesday and a Faculty Tea on Wednesday. It will culminate with an annual Block Party on Saturday night, centered on Locust Walk.

Greek Week will also include a canned food drive to benefit Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization.

Panhellenic Council President and College junior Rachel Abeles said students may donate to the organization on the Walk this Tuesday through Thursday for $1 per can. The Greek community aims to collect and donate 1,500 cans.

“Hopefully we reach our goal and surpass it,” Executive Vice President of the IFC and College junior Wyatt Hilkene said.

The week-long event benefits a “local effort that has a tangible effect on the community surrounding us,” Heyer added.

A Foursquare social networking competition is a new addition this year. Students will be able to “check in” at each of the Greek week locations and the “mayor” at each place will receive a $25 gift certificate to new campus eatery Sweetgreen, Abeles said.

This week’s events are an opportunity for Greeks to come together, whether to showcase athletics or academics, she added.

The Powder Puff football game will kick off Friday afternoon at the 40th Street fields, behind the Rodin college house. “Powder Puff is one of the events we always do in the spring and we hope for good weather,” Abeles said.

After football, Greeks can head to post-game festivities at City Tap House, which will be open to all students.

On Saturday evening, members will attend a barbecue on Locust Walk at the patio across from the Phi Delta Theta house.

“We’ve implemented a barbecue called ‘Grillin’ with the Greeks.’ It’s fun to barbecue and hang out,” Hilkene said. “We’ve worked hard to provide an awesome line up of events for the Greek community and the Penn community as a whole to come out to,” Hilkene added.

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