CONTACT: Tory Olson, 515-271-1834, tory.olson@drake.edu
Drake University’s Iowa Delta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity has been regionally recognized for a campaign raising more than $10,000 to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Iowa (LLS).
Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Queen of Hearts campaign was selected as a regional “Of the Month” winner in November by the National Residence Hall Honorary, an honor society of residence hall leaders, after being chosen for Drake’s chapter spotlight in October. The program is now in the running for national recognition.
The Queen of Hearts campaign, founded in 2001, is an annual philanthropy event held in memory of Eric Grunzinger, a Drake student and Sigma Phi Epsilon member, who died after a battle with leukemia.
This year, the fraternity held a series of events in October including a Fun Run, lawn sale, three-on-three basketball tournament and silent auction. Fraternity members also solicited donations from local businesses and had a booth at DogTown Fest.
The campaign culminated in Queen of Hearts Week, which included a dunk tank and “brother auction,” T-shirt sales and an annual co-ed softball tournament. The tournament garnered interest from 12 teams from many aspects of Drake campus life and brought the total amount raised to more than $10,000.
“These guys put in long hours to make Queen of Hearts a success,” said Tyler O’Neil, fraternity member and chair of the campaign. “We were all ecstatic when we cleared $10,000 and this recognition is like the cherry on top.”
Sigma Phi Epsilon is organizing an alumni campaign and a spring art show fundraiser to further the campaign’s success towards a goal of $15,000.
“We set that goal last spring,” O’Neil added, “and we’re intent on reaching it.”