URI fraternities, sororities donate $107,000 from walkathon to South County Habitat for Humanity

Media Contact: Todd McLeish, 401-874-7892

Funds will help complete two more houses at Old North Village

GreekdonationKINGSTON, R.I. – April 23, 2013 – The fraternity and sorority community at the University of Rhode Island raised $107,000 at the “Pound the Pavement, Pound a Nail” walkathon, an annual event sponsored by the URI South County Habitat for Humanity partnership committee. The funds were turned over to the organization on Saturday at the dedication of the most recent home built in the Old North Village on the edge of the Kingston campus.

More than 500 students from all of URI’s 24 fraternities and sororities participated in the walk, and they collectively raised $53,451.56. Two anonymous URI alumni and former Greek life members matched the funds raised by the students, bringing the combined total to $106,903.12.

“I am both inspired and overwhelmed by the way the URI Greek community has embraced our mission of providing homeownership opportunities to hardworking low-income area families,” said Lou Raymond, executive director of South County Habitat. “They have made a very powerful statement.”

“Working with Habitat for Humanity has been a gratifying and rewarding experience for all the members of Greek life on campus,” said Arielle Windman, a URI senior studying human development and family studies who serves as president of the Panhellenic Council. “We are extremely proud of how far we have come as a Greek community with this opportunity.”

In addition to the funds raised by the students at the walkathon, the URI Greek system also raised $20,000 in December during its Philanthropy Week, a weeklong series of events designed to raise money for charity. An additional $5,000 was raised in February during an effort to break a world record for the number of “high fives” given in an hour. All of these funds were also donated to South County Habitat for Humanity, bringing the total raised by the students this school year to $132,000, nearly enough to construct two more Habitat homes.

“The chapters really took initiative on these projects and have been excited about the process the entire way, “ added Rob Tobey, a senior business major and president of the Interfraternity Council. “We’re pleased to be able to give back to the community and build the reputation of Greek life here at URI.”

For more information about the URI South County Habitat for Humanity partnership, visit web.uri.edu/habitat.

Pictured above
URI students (l-r) Frankie Darnold, Jill Anderson, Jaime Giacomelli, Corrine Reed, Rob Tobey, Kristin Pollard and Julia Garrick pose with the check being donated by the URI Greek community to South County Habitat for Humanity.
URI Marketing & Communications photo by Michael Salerno Photography.

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