Funds raised to finance Wish Child and family's trip to Disney World
Fraternities and sororities threw meat on the grill at the Fairgrounds Wednesday, but they weren’t getting a head start on their tailgating for this week’s Wolford game.
Instead, they were raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the third annual Chi-O-Cook-Off, hosted by Chi Omega sorority.
Every semester, Chi Omega sponsors a different Wish Child through Make-A-Wish and raises at least $6,000 to make his or her wish come true, and the organization raises this money through the cook-off event’s proceeds each fall. This semester’s cook-off will send a 12-year-old named Alana and her family to Disney World.
According to Caroline Krcelic, the Chi Omega Philanthropy Chair, the sorority raised $9,000 before the Cook-Off even began. More than two-thirds of that came from online donations, and any extra money the women make will be given to Make-A-Wish to help another child get their wish.
“You get to see the impact on your Wish Child and their excitement in being around older kids,” Krcelic said. “The kid gets to see how much it means to us, and that’s really special.”
For $5 in advance and $7 at the door, sorority sisters and fraternity brothers enjoyed each others’ grilling delicacies. The contest required that each group put their own spin on hotdog, hamburger and miscellaneous dishes to be voted on by tasters. Guests donated money for their favorite dishes, and the plate with the most money and the best taste according to the judges won.
Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s deer- and bacon-wrapped peppers won the miscellaneous dish category; Sigma Nu fraternity won first in the hot dog design and first in the hamburger division went to Phi Mu sorority. University Oaks apartment complex on Bluff Road sponsored the grand prizes for the miscellaneous dish — a $75 Visa gift card for each team member. First place hotdog and hamburger groups each won a decorated cooler and gift cards.
Chi Omega members in buttons and bracelets sponsoring Make-A-Wish helped every group cook and grill their dishes, serving up food to participants and manning the drink and food tables. Cornhole boards saw much competition, as did each dish invented.
Some concoctions included a Parmesan hotdog, macaroni-and-cheese-and-bacon hotdog and a burger topped with buffalo chicken dip. There were 13 groups in all, from 11 fraternities and two sororities. The judges were the Chi Omega house director and her boyfriend along with a fraternity’s director.
There were many raffles at the event to raise even more money for Make-A-Wish, including gear from Southern Proper, Southern Tide and Rockstar Energy. Alana received gifts from the sorority, including snap bracelets and a princess crown, and the happiness was clear on her face — as well as those of her family members and others gathered at the event.