Most Extreme philanthropy tests competitors for a good cause

By Brad Fischer

Published Nov. 6, 2007

Eight teams took to Stankowski Field to support awareness of domestic violence Friday night as part of Most Extreme Greek Challenge, Alpha Chi Omega sorority's annual philanthropy.

The games, inspired by the TV show "Most Extreme Elimination Challenge," concluded a week of events. Teams representing Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity, Delta Chi fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, Delta Tau Delta fraternity, Greek Advocates and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity participated in the events.

The games had six stations of unconventional games.

At one station, two teams raced each other in a relay to find five pieces of candy. Each piece was submerged in a bowl of oatmeal. Participants had to spin with their head on the top of a baseball bat five times before running to a table with the oatmeal. They had to find the candy without using their hands, and then carry the piece back in their mouths and spit it into a bowl before the next team member could start.

Delta Chi member Justin Opolony said the race was the most appealing event.

"I liked the oatmeal game because it was gross," Opolony said. "That's what makes it fun."

Other stations included a blindfolded pushcart race, where a blindfolded competitor pushed another team member through a cone course, and an event where members of one team tried to knock down another team's plastic bowling pins with water baalloons before all of their own pins fell.

Greek Advocates member Richard Miller said "Balloon Launch" was his favorite event. Several Alpha Chi Omega members launched and threw water balloons at five team members charged with catching the balloons using only a butterfly net.

"It reminded me a lot of lacrosse," Miller said. "The girls were a little bit mean though. One of them got me soaked."

The games concluded a week of events that raised more than $7,000. On Monday, the philanthropy received 15 percent of the price of purchases made at Shakespeare's Pizza with a philanthropy flyer. On Tuesday and Thursday, Alpha Chi Omega members asked people to vote for their favorite participating group by placing spare change in a jar. On Wednesday, members participated in Tiger Night of Fun at Hearnes Center.

Eighty-five percent of the money raised benefited The Shelter, said Molly Brow, Alpha Chi Omega Internal Philanthropy co-chairwoman. The Shelter provides emergency shelter to people fleeing domestic violence or sexual assault, as well as support groups, counseling and other activities to help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Brown said the remaining 15 percent of funds raised goes to the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation. The foundation sponsors scholarships, contributes to philanthropies and supports the sorority's alumni in need.

Brown said domestic violence awareness is a national initiative of Alpha Chi Omega.

"It's a good cause. Domestic violence is something that's not very well known," Brown said. "It's not in the media very often."