Fresno State fraternities, sororities launch Haiti relief fund drive

Fraternities and sororities at California State University, Fresno are doing their part to aid earthquake victims with a week–long “Hope for Haiti – Greeks Giving Back Coin Collection” at three Fresno intersections during morning and afternoon commute times.

On Monday, Feb. 8, more than $1,000 was collected from motorists at the intersections of Cedar and Shaw avenues, Barstow and Cedar avenues and Cedar and Herndon avenues to benefit Doctors Without Borders.

Students representing Fresno State fraternities and sororities will be out daily 6:30-8 a.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. through Friday, Feb. 12. They also plan to seek contributions from area businesses and will sell t-shirts at their tables in the Free Speech Area on campus next week.

Students from the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council and United Sorority and Fraternity Council wanted to do a big project for Haiti, said Fresno State student Lauren Smoot of Delta Gamma, one of the project organizers. The three councils represent 38 fraternity and sorority organizations at Fresno State and their 900 members.

“We chose to donate to Doctors Without Borders because we felt the need for medical care was top priority in Haiti,” said Smoot, a junior business major from Bakersfield.

Doctors Without Borders is an international medical humanitarian organization that has helped treat more than 11,000 people since the earthquake devastated Haiti on Jan. 12.

“Often the community doesn’t realize how much community service we actually do and how much we actually donate for our individual organizations,” said Smoot of the Haiti relief effort, “so we wanted to do something together as Fresno State’s Greek community.”

Donating drivers will receive a card for their dashboard showing they’ve contributed. Large donations ($50 or more) will be acknowledged in the university student newspaper, The Collegian, Smoot said.

To contribute, contact Smoot at Lsmoot@csufresno.edu, call the Student Involvement Office, 559.278.2741, or visit the Fresno State “Hope for Haiti” Facebook page.