Sorority raises money with fantasy football

In addition to fantasy football, Theta held its annual pancake breakfast.

By Gwen Daniels

Published Nov. 13, 2007

Last week, Kappa Alpha Theta sorority held the Fantasy Football Face-Off and their annual pancake breakfast to benefit Court Appointed Special Advocates, a nonprofit coalition of volunteers trained to represent foster children in court.

"If there is a child in the foster system, they can get a CASA, a trained volunteer who meets with them regularly and is involved in their life," said Whitney Heins, Kappa Alpha Theta's internal philanthropy chairwoman. "When a child's case goes before the judge, the CASA will explain what is in the best interest of the child."

The fantasy football league and the pancake breakfast benefited both the national organization and Heart of Missouri CASA, which is located in Columbia and serves foster children in Boone County.

The Fantasy Football Face-Off was new this year. A Kappa Alpha Theta focus group came up with the idea earlier this year, Heins said.

"We wanted something new and innovative that would encourage participation campus-wide, not just specifically in the Greek community," Heins said. "We thought a fantasy football league would be something fun for everyone to get involved in."

Teams of one to four members paid $30 to register for the fantasy football league. The teams chose their players, who were each assigned a salary from $25 to $100, from the provided roster. When choosing players, each team stuck by a $300 salary cap.

Heins said 55 teams joined the league.

In addition to MU students, the teams included fans across the country. Kappa Alpha Theta sorority members e-mailed rosters to friends at other universities and to their families, Heins said.

The sorority also played host to a Sunday night football watch party to wrap up the fantasy football league.

Guests at the watch party, which was held on Sunday evening at the Stoney Creek Inn, watched the Indianapolis Colts play the San Diego Chargers on a big projection screen. They could also play National Football League and MU football trivia games and win gift certificates to restaurants such as Moe's Southwest Grill, Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe and The Heidelberg.

Previously, Kappa Alpha Theta held a three-on-three basketball tournament to raise money for its philanthropy.

The sorority might decide to make the fantasy football league an annual event, Heins said.

"We had a lot of excitement about our new event, and all of the teams that entered really enjoyed the league," she said. "I'm thrilled with the outcome. I think we definitely exceeded our goals, so it would be a great option for next year."

Kappa Alpha Theta also held its annual late-night pancake breakfast last Friday from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. at the sorority house.

Krystan Fields, who led the pancake breakfast committee, said about 650 people attended the breakfast. She guessed the sorority served more than 1,300 pancakes.

Kappa Alpha Theta member Kristin Minzenmayer said she thought she event was a success.

"I think people definitely enjoyed it," she said. "There was always a steady flow of people. A lot of people came when they were done doing their night activities, and the pancake breakfast was a great way to socialize and mingle and get good food."

The sorority prepared for the event by soliciting donations, Heins said. All of the supplies, from plastic utensils to pancake ingredients, were donated by local businesses.

At the breakfast, sorority members worked as cooks, waitresses and busgirls.

"It was like our own little restaurant," Fields said.

In addition to pancakes and juice, a few guests encountered an unsolicited surprise. As they enjoyed their breakfast, a streaker ran through the house.

"It was really all of a sudden," Fields said. "I was just standing there, and I didn't even see it. He came from one side of the house and just ran through. By the time we went outside to say something, he had ran off."