Greek philanthropy event benefits Middle Way House

At 9 a.m. Saturday, between 150 and 200 people participated in Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority's Pike/Kappa Klassic 5k run and walk.\nBoth the Pike and the Kappa houses participated in the charity event, along with other greek houses and students. All the proceeds are going to the Middle Way House, said junior Shawn Touney, philanthropy chair for Pikes. \nTouney said the run raised about $1,500 for the house, which supports battered women and their children. Touney said he and junior Annie Metheany, philanthropy chair for Kappa, decided in November to support the organization. \nThe 5k course began at the Kappa house, 1018 E. Third St., and wound its ran through campus, finishing back at Kappa. \nMetheany said she was pleased with the race turnout. \n"I was pleasantly surprised," Metheany said. "We were just hoping that the greek community would support it, and they were phenomenal."\nThe Pike/Kappa Klassic last took place in the fall of 1998, Touney said. But after Pikes was unable to participate because of their 1998 suspension, the annual tradition ended. This is the first year the Klassic has been revived, and Metheany said she hopes it will become an annual event from now on. \nSenior Erin Arkin, a member of the Delta Gamma sorority, said she ran in this year's race to benefit the good cause and meet other people. She said the Pikes and Kappa tried to get more people then just those in the greek community involved in the event.\n"A lot of people weren't in greek houses also," Arkin said. "That was a good thing for them that they reached out to more of the community and the campus."\nThere were 12 women from the Delta Gamma house who participated in the race, and Arkin said she was proud of her house's turnout. \nTouney said the Pike house and the Kappa house worked effectively on the philanthropy event. \n"It seems both of our houses worked together really well," he said. "We just kind of wanted the race to start and end by both of our houses, and in the end it turned out really well"