Greek community volunteers for city

Since the beginning of the week, students from IU's Greek organizations have been volunteering across Bloomington. The students are taking part in the first annual Community Service Challenge, hosted by the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association. \nThe event gives students from all 39 chapters the opportunity to work together as one team and also helps them in their philanthropic goals. \n"It's refreshing to have so much interest from IU students," Director of Recreational Therapy at the Bloomington Hospitality House Karen Pollock said in a news release.\nSophomore Rena Schmidt, a member of Kappa Delta, said she is excited about volunteering. She said she is required by her chapter to volunteer for three hours a semester.\nEmily Walsh, director of community service for Panhellenic, said this event is important and students really look at it as a chance to connect with community members . \n"We get a lot of work done that would not get done otherwise," Walsh said. She said this is the first time the service challenge has happened since the late 1990s.\n"We're accomplishing projects that we've wanted to do for some time," said Ann Roth, volunteer and resource coordinator for Shalom Center. Roth said they are hopeful the week will inspire students to become interested in their organization and make volunteering part of their weekly routine. \n"The Community Service Challenge is a great opportunity for the IU greeks to show their true colors," Interfraternity Council President Evan Waldman said in the release.\nJunior Jessica Synder, president of Alpha Epsilon Phi, said she volunteers because of an experience she had helping her friend at a soup kitchen. Synder said it was overwhelming to see how happy people were just to see she was helping them. \nSophomore Chris Urban, a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, said he wrapped presents at the Boys and Girls Club this week.\n"We wrap presents for them and hand them to them on the way out," Urban said. \nSchmidt said her chapter has teamed up with Kappa Sigma this week to help serve food at a soup kitchen.\n"(Kappa Sigma) works at a soup kitchen, so they invited us to collaborate with them," she said.\nWalsh said many people within the Bloomington community are excited that the students are going to get involved. \n"A lot of the organizations have responded with overwhelming excitement," Walsh said. "The organizations want to build a relationship with people in the community and begin an ongoing project." \n-- Contact staff writer Mike Malik at mjmalik@indiana.edu.