WASHINGTON, PA (April 2, 2014)—Helping to make a wish come true for a child or two has been the successful cause for the brothers of the Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity at Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) for more than five years.
This year, the bar has been raised.
After raising $7,200 for Make-A-Wish® of Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia last year, and more than $17,000 total since 2009, the brothers of ATO have their sights set on raising at least $10,000 this academic year.
The organization’s signature event, the annual “Wish Bowl,” which this year, for the first time, is an Ultimate Frisbee tournament, will be held April 6 at 1 p.m. in the lawn in front of Olin Fine Arts Center on Wheeling Street. All proceeds from the event, with money being raised through team participation fees, sponsorships, and continued collection of donations, will go to Make-A-Wish.
“We are always striving for improvement and I think our efforts, and those from the other fraternities and sororities on campus, say a lot about our organizations and our reputations,” said junior Jath DiCecco, philanthropy chair for ATO at W&J. “We are about academics, leadership and community service.”
The event is one of the kick-off events for W&J’s Greek Week, in which fraternities and sororities hold a number of social events with the aim of raising money for charities. For more information about Greek Week, click here.
ATO won Top Chapter in both 2012 and 2013 at the W&J Greek awards, along with various other recognitions, such as highest new member GPA, top philanthropy work and community service, and most improved chapter. ATO also achieved the top grade-point-average among fraternities last semester and led the campus in philanthropy and community service hours. The W&J Alpha Pi chapter of ATO has also received national recognition for its achievements, winning the True Merit Award three times since 2008.
ATO has raised more than $8,000 to date this year for Make-A-Wish, which includes money raised through donations and “canning,” where students collect money from motorists and pedestrians at intersections on campus.
“We are so grateful for ATO’s continued support of our organization. Since 2009, they have helped make wishes come true for children with life-threatening medical conditions. More than just a nice experience, wishes have life-changing impact on our kids’ lives, allowing them to feel stronger, more energetic and more willing to fight their medical battles,” said Make-A-Wish President and CEO Judi Stone. “ATO’s hard work and dedication to our kids make it possible for us to continue this very important mission. They are a special group of young men who have already learned that kindness and philanthropy pays dividends for generations to come.”
W&J is home to six fraternities and four sororities. The Greek Community at W&J is based on four standards that fraternities and sororities everywhere strive to achieve: academic excellence, leadership, service to the community and friendship for life.
“Our Greeks are leaders inside the classroom and out in the community. Our members are empowered to make a positive impact on the community, and develop an understanding of civic responsibility through the process of serving others. Most importantly, chapter members learn they can make a difference,” said Ashley Broskey, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life at W&J. “As you can see, in this case, ATO is making a real difference and we are proud of its members.”
DiCecco said the idea is simple: “The Alpha Pi Chapter asks that family, friends and brothers make a contribution to help grant the wishes of children living with life-threatening medical conditions. A wish brings hope, strength and joy to a child during a time in their lives when these are sometimes hard to find.”
Visit the Make-a-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia website for information and to make a donation.
