Sammy BBQ to raise money for Israeli soldiers

IU community members can help give an Israeli soldier a college education -- and all they have to do is eat a hamburger.\nThe Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity will hold its first annual barbecue philanthropy event, Grillin' and Chillin' from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., Thursday night at the Sammy Café, located in the backyard of their house, 1500 N. Jordan Ave.\nEvent admission is $3 and all proceeds go to IMPACT!, a program of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, a nonprofit organization helping raise awareness for the IDF. The Friends of the IDF is the American partner of the Association of the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers, which began in 1942.\nThe IMPACT! program sends underprivileged Israeli soldiers who have completed their military service to college, according to the organization's Web site. The program awards each eligible soldier a $4,000 scholarship for one year of college and may re-award the scholarship for up to three more years.\nSammy's philanthropy chair, sophomore Michael Stern, said Sammy chose this organization for the philanthropy because he and his committee believe it is a very good cause.\n"The Friends of the IDF is a way for Americans to help the soldiers in Israel, which is one of our closest allies in the Middle East," Stern said.\nThe event, sponsored by Shapiro's Delicatessen of Indianapolis, will offer barbecued hot dogs, hamburgers and s'mores.\n"It's just kind of a get-together for a good cause," Stern said.\nSammy philanthropy committee member junior Miles Roger said the fraternity hopes to raise $4,000, the amount needed to send one soldier to college for a year.\nStern and Roger said they hope all students will take part in this event.\n"The important thing is we're providing a college education and a better life for people who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it," Roger said. "A college education is very important to me, and we always want to spread that as much as we can."\nStern said that if a someone cannot attend the event, the fraternity will accept check donations made out to "Friends of the IDF."\nSammy member senior Adam Avni, said he is excited to help the soldiers.\n"I think it's great," he said. "We can raise money for someone to experience a great education that we're getting and sometimes take for granted."\nFor more information on the event, contact sammy@indiana.edu. \nTo donate directly to the IMPACT! program, visit www.israelsoldiers.org. \n-- Contact staff writer Lori Snow at losnow@indiana.edu.