By SABRINA CHEN For The News-Letter
The Pi Beta Phi and Kappa Kappa Gamma sororities took first and second places in the annual powderpuff flag football tournament on Saturday. All five Panhellenic sororities participated, and the games were played round robin style on the practice field behind the Ralph S. O’Connor Recreation Center. This year, the Panhellenic Council Executive Board decided to make the event a fundraiser with a theme of “fighting against violence.”
“The powderpuff game is an annual thing, but this is the first year we decided to make it a fundraiser,” senior Nina Ignacio, event coordinator and member of the Panhellenic Council Executive Board, said. “Right now we have a list of charities that we can donate to, and we are going to let the girls vote during the executive meeting to decide which charity they want.”
Spectators were not required to buy tickets for the games, but they were asked to contribute an amount of their choosing to the anti-violence fund. In addition, a Chipotle buffet and various snacks were served to all attendees.
Ignacio added that the Board decided to host the event in November because it is domestic violence awareness month. The executive board has been planning the event since the beginning of the semester.
Ignacio and junior Demy Alfonso, another member of the Executive Board, said that the event is popular because it involves all five of the sororities and other Hopkins groups as well.
“It brings the community together, and it brings the fraternities and sororities closer because the fraternities coach the sororities,” Alfonso said. “Sports teams also coach the sororities, adding another layer to the involvement.”
Sophomore Erin Todaro, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, participated as a substitute in this year’s games. Although she did not have too much time on the field, she said that she enjoyed participating in the event.
“Powderpuff encourages friendly relationships between all the sororities on campus,” Todaro said. “It’s a really fun event, and it encourages sisterhood. We like to show the community that Greek life is fun, and Greek life is friendly and open to everybody and that we all support each other.”
Most teams have been practicing for about a month. Todaro said that Kappa Alpha Theta had biweekly practices for a little over a month before the competition.
Apart from bringing together sororities and fraternities, the event also encouraged other members of the Hopkins community to come support friends and family.
Sophomore Abigail Eisenstadt, who is not a part of Greek life, came to watch the event and support her roommate.
“I think that it’s so great that Greek life is doing something about such a great cause, especially because they aren’t pushing for mandatory donation,” Eisenstadt said. “People are more likely to donate when they’re having a good time and not forced to buy a ticket, since ticket prices are discouraging. It’s just a great way of going about raising funds.”
