Students auction off dates for charity

Senior Jeremiah Reed remembers the first time he participated in a date auction. His freshman year, he was auctioned off at $40.

“I just did it as a network opportunity since it was my first year at IU,” Reed said. “Last time, it wasn’t really for a reason. I thought that this time, I could do it for a
reason.”

Reed, currently the vice president of the Gamma Eta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, originally participated through McNutt Quad’s Kelley School of Business Living Learning Center’s date auction to raise funds for the American Heart
Association.

“It really wasn’t a date date,” Reed said. “We just had a little ice cream at Foster. It wasn’t like a real date. It was just for fun.”

Now, he is participating with his fraternity brothers and the Epiphany Modeling Troupe models in a special event planned for those who weren’t struck by Cupid on the day dedicated for love, chocolates and roses.

On Friday, Epiphany Modeling Troupe, a multicultural organization that uplifts and builds confidence in aspiring student models, will collaborate with the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to hold a date auction open to campus.

The highest bidder will win a date with one of the members from either organization.  
Junior Trebby Ellington, EMT public relations specialist and chair of the event, said people often misunderstand the idea of a date auction.

“People hear ‘date auction,’ and they’re a little intimidated because you’re buying someone, but essentially that’s not what it’s for,” Ellington said.

Ellington said there would be about 25 participants collectively from both organizations who will be auctioned off to other students on campus.

“We got Alphas, and we got our models who are willing to be auctioned off to the campus,” Ellington said. “We have a social mingle following the event so that it’s not so awkward for people that are purchased. Really it’s just a classy night, a fun night for a good cause. It brings people out of their comfort zone.”

Ellington said even though they were too busy to do the date auction last year, EMT tries to put on the event annually.

In past years, since their modeling troupe is mostly females, they usually collaborated with organizations that were mostly male to get an equal representation of people being auctioned off, Ellington said. This year is the first year the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity will be a part of EMT’s date auction.

Andrew Adeniyi, president of the Gamma Eta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, said one of the reasons his fraternity got involved with the date auction with EMT is because of the concept.

“We liked the idea of the programming with the organization,” Adeniyi said. “We saw it as a great opportunity and also an opportunity to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity where a majority of the proceeds are going towards.”

Adeniyi said the proceeds to Habitat for Humanity come from the $1 entry fee that everyone would have to pay to get into the event and a minimum $5 bidding rate for the auctioned off members.

Every additional dollar that people bid toward their prospective dates will be given to that date’s organization to give to their philanthropy of choice. The two organizations have not yet chosen what their philanthropies will be.

This isn’t the first time that Alpha Phi Alpha has partnered up with Habitat for Humanity. Adeniyi said that in the past, the fraternity worked with other greek organizations in an initiative to help build houses in the spring for those in need called Project Alpha. It all worked out, since EMT had plans to partner with Habitat for Humanity, as well.

“That’s the organization that they’re very passionate about as well,” Adeniyi said. “So to go to that, it’s a way for us to help them and also give back to Habitat for
Humanity.”

Ellington said gift baskets are also up for bidding, so it is not just people being auctioned off.

“These gift baskets include items like a free manicure, movie passes, restaurant gift cards,” Ellington said. “So if someone doesn’t want to purchase someone, they can purchase a gift basket and those proceeds will be donated as well.”

After the event, there will be a social gathering at another location for people to mingle and talk to each other.

This is the first time Adeniyi will witness a date auction event.

“I definitely think there will be some funny moments,” Adeniyi said. “I think that anyone who goes up there to be auctioned off is a brave soul.”