ZTA hopes BMOC will top $100,000

Friday the 13th might usually be associated with ghosts and ghouls, but this Friday's events will help raise funds for a more realistic fear -- breast cancer. \nBig Man on Campus, hosted annually by the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, pits representatives from fraternity houses and other student organizations against each other in a talent competition to raise money for breast cancer research, said junior Hallie Jaeger, the sorority's philanthropy chair. \nLast year, the sorority raised $96,000 and was able to donate $69,000 to its charity, the ZTA Foundation, Jaeger said. It was the highest amount raised by any of the 239 national chapters of ZTA, she said. \nThis year Jaeger is setting the bar even higher. The sorority hopes to raise $100,000, while ultimately donating $75,000 towards cancer research after recouping costs. \nThe sorority is already well on its way. Last year, about 2,500 students attended the Big Man on Campus event. This year, ZTA has already sold 2,700 tickets. However, the women hope the number will increase since the IU Auditorium holds 3,400 people, and tickets will be sold at the door, she said. \nIn a move to encourage more participation for the event, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan declared today to be "Zeta Big Man on Campus Day," honoring the event.\n"Mayor Kruzan often likes to recognize special events in Bloomington by issuing a proclamation," Maria Heslin, Kruzan's communications director, said in an e-mail. "These proclamations help publicize the event within the Bloomington community, hopefully helping to raise awareness for and increase attendance to these worthwhile fundraising efforts." \nAudience members will witness 19 fraternities and one student organization, the IU Student Foundation, send a man to compete for the top title, Big Man on Campus, Jaeger said. Each man creates his own act, but all relate to this year's theme, "Viva Las Vegas: Beating the odds against breast cancer." \nJunior Brad Bauer, a member of Kappa Sigma, will dress as Neil Diamond and sing "Sweet Caroline," he said. \nFraternity members and the InMotion Dance Company will perform dance numbers, as the competition will open with a performance by all 20 participating fraternity members, who will be paired up with Zeta dancers, Jaeger said. \n"We are telling these boys to dance in front of 3,200 people, and they are actually willing to do it," said senior and Zeta member Brooke Stingelin, choreographer of the dance. "They make it easy for us to be in charge." \nTwo-time Grammy winner and guest judge Sylvia McNair will also perform, Jaeger said. \nSigning up for Big Man on Campus is no small commitment. During the course of a month, participants practice four days a week for two hours at a time in preparation, Jaeger said. \n"Every one of our representatives has to be so dedicated before they even think of signing up," Jaeger said. "It is amazing." \nEach contestant pairs with a coach from one of the sorority houses, said sophomore coaches Andrea Druml and Nicole Staffin, both of Phi Mu. The coaches spent about three hours a week practicing with their contestant, she said. \n"We don't work nearly as hard as the guys," Druml said. "Our main responsibility is helping to raise money and sell T-shirts." \nWinning the title is not based solely on talent, Jaeger said. Of the total score, 70 percent is based on the amount of money raised and a man's dedication to the competition, she said, and the rest is for talent. \nEach competitor is required to sell 50 T-shirts and 50 tickets for the competition, Jaeger said. Tickets cost $12, and T-shirts cost $10, she said. \n"I've sold shirts to people at the bars at 3 a.m.," Bauer said. "I'm always looking for the chance to hawk them."\nDespite all the preparation for the performance, the most important moment comes after the new Big Man on Campus has been announced, Jaeger said. \n"The culminating moment of the show (last year) was to be onstage and get that envelope and find out we'd raised $96,000," Jaeger said. "Everyone has been so touched. When so many people come together for a cause, wonderful things tend to happen"