Sigma Sigma Sigma, Marshall University’s only sorority with two philanthropies, offered a fall festival at their house Saturday, featuring food, games and music in an effort to raise money for the March of Dimes and The Foundation.

Sigma’s fall festival brought in $2,300, all of which will be donated to their two philanthropies.

Sabel Meadows, the philanthropy chair and a senior premed biology major, said the nature of her sorority’s philanthropy efforts is what makes them unique and shows their passion for the organizations they do help with.

“We do fundraising for the March of Dimes, as well as The Foundation, which is an organization that was founded by the fourth president, whose son died of polio,” Meadows said. “So, we initially raised money for the vaccines. But once Polio was eradicated through the vaccine, that’s when it shifted gears and we thought ‘we still want to help children, what can we do?’ and then they decided to build therapeutic playrooms.”

Meadows said the fall festival wasn’t the first event that they had held this year, nor would it be the last, that benefits their organizations, and that typically the food is what really draws in the crowd.

“We helped out with Chili Fest, where we served chili and handed out tickets at our house,” Meadows said. “And we had a 24-hour rocking chair rock-a-thon. We had a Yankee Candle Sale, and next Saturday, we are hosting our pancake dinner that will last all night.”

Elise Atha, a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma and a sophomore athletic training pre-physical therapy student, helped Meadows in planning and running the event and said she enjoys getting involved in events such as the fall festival in order to not only better her community but herself as well.

“I’m always looking for a way to step up and help better myself and other people as well,” Atha said. “And I think that reaching out through our philanthropies and through Sabel’s chair helps us to really get involved with the community and helps give me more responsibility, and I love it.”

Breanna Francis can be contacted at [email protected].