Tigers invade Delta Tau Delta

Outside greek houses most nights, people are jogging, playing football or walking to parties.\nSaturday night, there were also tiger cubs.\nDelta Tau Delta fraternity, 1431 N. Jordan Ave., hosted an event Saturday night benefiting the Exotic Feline Rescue Center, 2221 E. Ashboro Rd. in Center Point, Ind. The event included live music by the band Elysium and tiger cubs in the front yard.\nJunior Brian Hardman, Delts pledge class vice president and coordinator of this philanthropy, said he heard about the EFRC through friends and an IDS article.\n"I thought it would be exciting to help a good organization and bring excitement to the Bloomington campus," Hardman said. "We just wanted to stress a good organization that not many people know of. It's also a very unique organization. There are only a few others in the nation."\nSince the Delts had already booked the band for the evening, some brothers thought they should pair the event with philanthropy and decided to pair with EFRC.\nEFRC is a non-for-profit organization that provides a home for abandoned and abused exotic cats, such as tigers, leopards, and lions. Recently, the center took in eight leopards, four with babies, and all in need of medical care.\nThis arrangement is unique because it brought two Bengal tiger cubs to the fraternity. Guests at the benefit were allowed to enter the tiger cage and play with the 6-month-old cubs. Junior David Speyer said the cubs reminded him of his cats because they interact in the same way. \nSaturday night's benefit raised $500 for the organization. EFRC Assistant Director Jean Herrberg said the group receives no government funding, so it relies on private donations, occasional small grants and volunteers. The money raised from this benefit will be used to help build enclosures and get medical help for the cats. The EFRC was also hoping to gain volunteers by hosting a souvenir booth and talking to guests. \n"We're excited to be here. It's a new adventure." Herrberg said. "We've never done another fundraiser like it."\nThe Delts' pledge class plans to make a trip to the EFRC later this week to visit the facility and personally deliver the check.\n"Unanimously, everyone was amazed," Hardman said. "It was unique because you don't see tiger cubs at a frat. It was a great time."\n-- Contact staff writer Stephanie Susman at ssusman@indiana.edu.