Greek interest and concern expands beyond the confines of the university campus. As the leaders of tomorrow, we recognize the importance of public service and good community relations. We realize that the Greek community would be nonexistent without the support of Chico State and the surrounding community. We constantly challenge ourselves to contribute meaningfully towards the betterment of Chico and its residents.

Greeks raise thousands of dollars for philanthropies each year, through their own individual organizations or in partnership with other organizations. Between the five NPC affiliated sororities, we have raised money by means of car washes, gala events, charity walks and lollipop sales (to name a few) for such causes as Juvenile and Adult Diabetes, The Ronald McDonald House, Cardiac Care, Campfire USA-a camp for building self value in underprivileged girls, and Alzheimer's Disease Research.

In association with IFC (Interfraternity Council) affiliated fraternities, we have raised money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through the Greek Week dodgeball tournament (in addition to annual participation in the Up ‘Til Dawn letter-writing campaign), the Boys and Girls Club through the Greek Week Obstacle Events Course, the Jesus Center through the Greek Week canned food drive, and bake sales and tabling on campus for the Red Cross rebuilding efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

The Greek community also continues to collaborate on community service projects which encourage a healthy and clean environment by cleaning up the city. Whether it be collaborative participation with other campus organizations in Scour and Devour, a community-wide clean up effort; cleaning and fixing maintenance problems at Notre Dame School; or simply participating each week in Adopt-A-Block, in which every Sunday morning the sororities clean up the neighborhood surrounding their chapter house, Chico Greeks make a consistent effort to live up to their values of philanthropic efforts and service to their community.

As part of Greek Week 2008, Oct. 4–12, more than 900 members of California State University, Chico social sororities and fraternities participated in multiple events to help improve life for many people in the community.

A series of Greek fund-raisers netted $4,000 to benefit fire victims from this summer’s wild fires. The funds were donated to the North Valley Community Foundation. A coin drive as well as special events at The Tea Bar and Woodstock’s Pizza contributed to the total.

A blood drive was held in the Bell Memorial Union and next to Glenn Hall on Oct. 6, and 376 pints were donated to the Blood Source. It was one of the largest Greek Week blood drives held in recent years. Connie Huyck, program coordinator for Greek Life, said the annual Greek Week blood drive is the largest single-day blood drive held in Northern California.

More than 120 members of 23 Greek chapters participated in a clean-up of Rosedale School in Chico on Oct. 4. The students washed and painted surfaces, hauled trash and completed other tasks to help beautify the school.

A canned food drive, to benefit Chico’s Jesus Center, resulted in more than 3,000 cans being donated.

Many other events highlighted Greek Week, including the Talent Show Oct. 5, the Greek Olympics, the Parade of Lights in downtown Chico Oct. 11 and a dodgeball tournament in Shurmer Gym Oct. 12.

“Having great support from the University and community businesses allowed us to take Greek Week to the next level,” said CSU, Chico student Kyle Clark, Greek Week chair.

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It’s a timeless movie moment: the pretty girl in the billowing dress dancing with prince charming. But in the real world, without fairy godmothers, the prom experience comes with a hefty price tag for most high school girls.

Not only are there the expenses of the dress and tickets to the dance, but dinner, photos and a limo are usually part of the typical prom night. That’s where Chico State sorority women step in, opening their closets in hopes of giving high school girls a prom experience they otherwise may not be able to afford.

Each year the Chico State Panhellenic Council, a governing body that unites Chico State sororities, puts on Cinderella’s Closet, which allows local high school students to pick through prom dresses donated by sorority women and take one home for free. Girls who find a dress from Cinderella’s Closet can save between $100 and $500—the cost of the average prom dress.

“I had a lot of fun at my prom, and I’m glad we’re giving other people the opportunity to have the same experience,” said Brooke Smith, vice president of philanthropy and community service for Chico State’s Panhellenic.

Last year’s event drew about 160 girls to peruse about 100 dresses collected by the sororities. High school students from Pleasant Valley, Chico, Paradise and Oroville high schools were invited to attend. As girls excitedly browsed through the taffeta and tulle, the sorority women served as fashion gurus, offering advice about which dress flattered each girl best and how to accessorize for the big night.

“It’s fun for us too, because we get to be fashion experts for a day,” said Maritzi Govea, president of the Student California Teachers Association, a student group that is co-sponsoring the event this year.

Panhellenic has been holding Cinderella’s Closet at Chico State for the past six years, and Smith, a junior in Sigma Kappa, has been in charge for the last two. While the event has been successful in the past, Smith hopes there will be even more dresses for the sorority women to give out at this year’s event, which takes place Sunday (April 13). Starbucks has agreed to allow collection boxes in its Chico locations so community members can become fairy godparents as well, by contributing new or gently used dresses.

Giving the girls more dresses to choose from is not the only way Panhellenic Council and SCTA are hoping Cinderella’s Closet will be different this year. They are also planning to pass out coupons for tanning, shoes and hair salons. Some of these local businesses may also have booths at the event so girls can get fashion and beauty advice all in one place, like a “prom expo,” Smith explained.

Events like this one are an opportunity for Chico State, and the Greeks in particular, to reach out and do something positive for the community, Smith and Govea agreed. In this case, they’re providing girls the opportunity to look like princesses at their proms without breaking the bank.

“It’s fun because they’re getting a free dress so they will be able to spend a little more on something else, like maybe a limo or a nice dinner,” Govea said.