Star Search is a fundraising success

By Kimberly Rapport

The 12th annual Alpha Phi Star Search competition raised a record $16,000 this year.Star Search is a Greek event, where all sororities and fraternities come together to put on a show.

The show is designed to be fun while supporting a worthy cause. All proceeds are awarded to the Cardiac Care Programs of the Alpha Phi Foundation.

Star Search consisted of 15 different acts with each fraternity and sorority strutting their stuff to upbeat music and a roaring crowd of students.

The highlight of the show was the Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) senior boys who performed the Backstreet Boys' "I Want it That Way." The Pikes, clad in Backstreet garb, were a spitting image of the group and won first place in the competition.

"My favorite skit was definitely the Pike seniors," Alpha Phi sophomore Christina Cook said. "I think they totally deserved to win because they were the Backstreet Boys and they were perfect."

For the past four years the Zeta Gamma Chapter has been named the "Top Collegiate Donor" of all Alpha Phi Chapters worldwide, raising over $30,000 in the past 12 years.

Since 1946, Alpha Phi has focused on heart disease and Cardiac Care as a philanthropic priority. Three-month-old Baby Kate was born with three holes in her heart. Because of the Alpha Phi's donation, Kate received her life-saving operation.

Originality was at the forefront of the competition this year. Delta Zeta held up white shirts to form "Delta Zeta loves Alpha Phi" in Greek. Pee Wee Herman danced to "The Tequila." Kermit the Frog sang "It's Not Easy Being Green."

"It was so great and it was a fun way to raise so much money for Heart Projects," Cook said.The contestants looked like they had rehearsed for weeks, even though some of the acts had been thrown together at the last minute.

The event was a fundraising success for the Alpha Phi members, the contestants and the audience.

"The girls got up there, the Alpha Phi chicks, and did a good job," junior Alexis Anello said. "It was for a good cause and it put them in a good light."