Phi Psi holds auction for terrorism victims

The Johns Hopkins chapter of Phi Kappa Psi earned over $700 for victims of Sept. 11's tragic events through its annual auction, Saturday, Oct. 27, in the Gilman Quad.

Participants whistled with a mouthful of saltine crackers, crawled like crabs and flung water balloons in the midst of a blustery wind to collect money for the Twin Towers Fund, a charity organization designed to provide money for those harmed by the acts of Sept. 11.

The event consisted of two primary activities: the relay competition and the raffle. Ten teams of four people competed in relay races ranging from a five-legged race to a wheelbarrow race. Each individual race awarded the winning team a minimal prize from a local business or organization.

The placement for each team's performance was tallied up throughout the event to determine the overall winner.

"Despite their name, this year's event was won by 'Team Can't Win,' which consisted of seniors Imran Zaidi, Terrence Fischer, Nicholas Detsch and Jason Ala," said Seth Schinfeld, the Johns Hopkins philanthropy co-chair of Phi Kappa Psi and one of the primary organizers of the event.

The team won a party for 14 friends at Listas, a restaurant in Fell's Point, as well as four free movie tickets.

To participate in the event, team members were charged $5 to contribute to the charity fund.

Phi Kappa Psi also raffled a "television set, the tickets for which cost $2 each," according to Shateel Alam, the Philanthropy co-Chair of Phi Kappa Psi.

"Raffle sales were open to Hopkins students as well as the local public," said Schinfeld. "This year's raffle was won by Brandon Yoder, a Hopkins senior."

Alam was satisfied with the event's turnout and estimated it generated a sum of at least $250 alone.

"There was money made at the event itself through both the team registration and the TV raffle, which will be combined with funds provided by the Inter-Fraternity Council, t-shirt sales and the door cover charge at Saturday night's Phi Psi 500 Party," said Schinfeld.

"I can happily say that a minimum of $700 dollars was raised for the Twin Towers Fund.

"The philanthropy committee was mostly responsible for the event," said sophomore Phi Kappa Psi member Alex Chinn.

Other members of the fraternity helped as directed by the philanthropy committee.

To plan for the event, the committee acquired some financial help from the IFC and solicited contributions from the local business community.

"Brothers from the fraternity went out in groups of two to four people to various parts of Baltimore with letters explaining the event and the charity," said Schinfeld. "Most businesses were very receptive, and we are grateful for their patronage."

The event is conducted annually but those who participated felt this year's event compared favorably with that of last year, despite the biting wind and the threat of rain.

"It was much better than last year," said Alam. "Our events were the same, but we made more money."

During the event, junior Anna Litewka, a participant, said, "Everyone is having a good time, and it's a good cause we're helping."

Altogether, the event combined pleasure with philanthropy.

Eluard Allegre, a brother of Phi Kappa Psi, said, "We are trying to bring the Hopkins community together for a good cause."

"The teams and individuals who took a few hours out of their weekend to compete on the Gilman Quad had a great time and did a good thing for charity," said Schinfeld.

Although it has no sizeable projects planned for the imminent future, Phi Psi intends to eventually volunteer in the local community and establish a program with a Baltimore City school.