As part of its commitment to provide service to the Salt Lake community, the Beta Theta Phi fraternity volunteered at a carnival yesterday at the Lied Memorial Boys & Girls Club in Rose Park.
“We’re tying to focus a lot more on service projects instead of raising money,” said Neel Limaye, the fraternity’s president.
The Betas coordinated the carnival with the Boys & Girls Club over the past month, often working with Lisa Endl, vice president of philanthropy for the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Endl works at the club as a membership secretary and helped the fraternity organize the service project.
“We usually put on these carnivals once every other month,” Endl said. “We always have volunteers, but we’ve never had a fraternity come as a whole.”
Endl said the club, which includes a junior section for children ages 6 to 12 and a teen section for members up to age 18, usually draws a crowd of about 300 people for each carnival.
Endl said the teens usually help volunteers or participate in the carnivals with younger siblings. Parents are also invited.
About 45 Betas participated in the service project, setting up the carnival, serving food and running games and tournaments.
“It’s a great way to hang out with the kids and spend a few hours to help make their day better,” Limaye said.
Beta member Sam Chagzoetsang has volunteered at the Rose Park Boys & Girls Club before. “It’s fun to go back and spend time with the little kids,” he said.
Members of the fraternity said that volunteering is a good way for students in the greek system to better connect with their community.
“Most people in sororities and fraternities are pretty well off — they have a lot of resources available to them,” Chagzoetsang said.
On March 24, the Betas will help build a house for the non-profit Christian organization Habitat for Humanity. Earlier this year, the fraternity held a poker night that raised $5,000 for an organization in the name of a Beta member’s deceased sister.
Lennie MahlerBeta Theta Pi member Aaron Mann battles Reece and Ruben in a tug of war match during a carnival event set up by the fraternity at the Boys & Girls Club in Rose Park on Tuesday.