Fraternity to host dinner for Boys and Girls Club

Alpha Tau Omega will host a holiday dinner and celebration for children of the Boys and Girls Club tonight at 5 p.m.\nEach room in the fraternity house will be dedicated to one attending member Boys and Girls Club. The fraternity members in that room have purhcased gifts based on the child’s listed wants and needs, said Andrew Hubbarth, ATO vice president.\nRebecca Linehan, a unit director at Boys and Girls Club, said the children are “very excited” and are “eager to turn in their permission slips.”\nAfter the kids chow down on hot dogs and chicken fingers, and, of course, open presents, the fraternity members will get to know the kids – hanging out and playing video games.\nLinehan said “the camaraderie” of “positive role models” will be one of the biggest benefits to the kids.\n“Usually when we take (the kids) to fraternities and sororities, they think they live in a mansion,” she said. \nBut she said this is good reinforcement for encouraging kids to aspire to higher education.\n“You have to go to college to live in a mansion,” Linehan said. “And hopefully some of them will just realize the joy of giving as well.”\nMembers of ATO said the fraternity decided to volunteer its time and effort specifically to the Bloomington community, as opposed to a larger national philanthropy. Dean of Students Dick McKaig and Assistant Dean of Students Steve Veldkamp will attend to show IU’s support for the children of Bloomington as well. \nHubbarth said fraternity brothers must learn to give back to the community that shapes IU.\n“We want the brothers to realize how much this town has given to them,” he said. \n“Hopefully it just makes them more aware that it’s not just all these awesome things we have at Indiana University, there is poverty in this community. There are needs in this community. We can help these kids.”\nPhilanthropic events, such as the dinner, that put “smiles on kids’ faces” foster a greater desire in fraternity brothers to help the local community, Hubbarth said. \nATO philanthropy chair Dusty DeWitt said the purpose of the event was simple.\n“I want them to just have a great Christmas,” said. “Every kid deserves to have an awesome Christmas.”