Loud pop music blasting through Greek Row is a common occurrence. On Wednesday, the night”s music was blasting from Delta Delta Delta sorority (Tri-Delta) as an audible advertisement for the fourth annual Tri Hop philanthropy event.
Members of the sorority were scattered across their front lawn for dancing, singing and a late-night breakfast.
Tess Fox | Argonaut
Pancakes await serving at the TriHop Philanthropy event Wednesday at Delta Delta Delta.
Passing cars honked to show their support through the night.
At first, people trickled up the walk to Tri-Delta to buy tickets. By 8:30 p.m., a line had formed to dish up for all-you-can-eat pancakes. Girls shuttled between the lawn and the kitchen to deliver fresh pitchers of juice and trays of pancakes and bacon.
The event benefits St. Jude Research Hospital, a research hospital for children. Seventy-five percent of the hospital funds come from donations. The National Headquarters for Tri-Delta have set a goal to donate $60 million in 10 years. By the end of the night, about $2,200 had been raised. Those proceeds will contribute to the national goal.
“It”s been a lot smoother this year,” Tri-Delta President Annellie McArthur said. “We know what to expect and we know what tweaks to make and to improve it more.”
McArthur said that many former participants were their best advertisements.
“People get excited,” she said. “On our Facebook page seeing the way that they”re like, “This is my favorite thing, can”t wait to come out,” and that”s cool to see.”
McArthur said that the Vandal football team challenges them to provide heaps of pancakes.
“When the football team comes it blows my mind how much they can eat,” she said. “Wow, that”s so much food.”
Students from other Greek houses were in attendance, as well as students from the dorms and several families with children. Even a black Labrador retriever could be seen sniffing around, searching for discarded pancake pieces.
Alexa Aguilar, the Tri-Delta Philanthropy Chair, said she has enjoyed taking over the event this year.
Though Aguilar, an engineering major, said coordinating the event has been out of her comfort zone, she said the experience has been a positive one.
“Everybody has been really positive – everybody loves the cause,” Aguilar said. “It”s something people can really get behind. It keeps the morale up, too.”
Aguilar took note of the details down to the napkin holders. Each holder featured a fact about St. Jude.
Aguilar said the event takes a house to pull off, and part of her job is to get the women excited about participating.
“Girls (are) working register,” she said. “We have girls in the back working on griddles to make the pancakes, serving the food. It”s chapter participation, getting corporate sponsors, getting the community involved. It”s really multi-faceted.”
She could be spotted running between the lawn and the kitchen, checking on the front register and the pancake assembly line in the back.
She said bringing in a variety of attendees took a special effort.
“We focused on reaching out to students in our classrooms,” Aguilar said. “Not just limiting ourselves to Greek advertisements.”
Aguilar said using social media helped her and her team plan for the number of attendees. Members changed their profile photo on Facebook to the event photo to help advertise.
Dutch Bros Coffee set up a tent out front with discounted Rebel drinks and 25 percent of each purchase went to St. Jude”s.
After finishing their pancakes, participants hung out at their tables, listening to music and chatting with Tri-Delta members.
For sophomore Dan Sicilia, it was his second time attending Tri Hop. Sicilia”s friends in Tri-Delta encouraged him to attend last year”s event without knowing the reason for the event.
“I didn”t really realize what it was,” he said. “They explained it and I”m like, “Oh that”s really awesome.” They raise a lot of money with this and it”s great to give.”
Now that Sicilia, a member of Theta Chi, knows the reason, he said he enjoys supporting Tri-Delta.
“It”s just really great to come out and support St. Jude”s,” he said. “They do great work.”
Tess Fox can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @tesstakesphotos