ATO fraternity hosts holiday party for Boys and Girls Club

Visions of Pacman and yellow rocking ponies filled the dining hall of Alpha Tau Omega on Tuesday night when the fraternity hosted a holiday celebration for the kids of Bloomington’s Boys and Girls Club. \nThe event consisted of a dinner followed by gift-giving.\n“It’s a good idea to help out as much as we can in the community,” said sophomore Sean Naughtrip.\nMyrah, 6, ran around with a fraternity member’s digital camera, encouraging ATO brothers to make bunny ears in front of wreathes and garland-covered doors. \nMyrah is a first-grader at University Elementary School. She said she was excited to attend the event because of the presents.\n“And I never been to a party before,” she added. \nMyrah shrugged as she peeled every last piece of wrapping paper and tape off her gifts: pajamas and a helmet and kneepad set.\n“You know what that’s for?” asked junior Jeff Wang.\n“A bike,” Myrah said. “But I don’t have a bike.”\nWang and his roommates were assigned to get Myrah a gift and were given a list of needs and wants. Wang said Myrah’s list involved a lot of Barbie toys and a bike.\n“We put two and two together and – Barbie bike,” Wang said.\nAs squealing children ran around with smiles and skateboards, Wang wheeled out the pink and purple bike to a perplexed Myrah.\nMyrah donned her helmet and giggled as fraternity brothers wrapped her in elbow and knee pads before she got on her bike and wound down the hall.\n“These kids are really cool,” said Andrew Hubbarth, vice president of ATO.\nWang agreed, though he said Myrah might have been “overwhelmed” by the crowd. But he said it was still a success to see her happy.\n“(This event) let’s these kids know school is a good environment for them,” he said.\nAnd the kids thought the fraternity brothers were pretty cool too.\n“I don’t know their names,” said first-grader Hunter. “I just like them.”