Phi Delta Epsilon had their annual philanthropy event, Stand for the Kids, in Dunn Meadow.
Phi Delta Epsilon chapters across the nation have the event Oct. 1 each year, with proceeds benefiting Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.
The money raised by the IU chapter was donated to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
This year, the event was organized in honor of Nicholas Wolfe, a late member of Phi Delta Epsilon.
The IU sophomore, 20, died Sept. 3, from “injuries sustained in an accident,” his sister, Samantha Wolfe, said in an email.
“Originally, this was a required event for our fraternity that was already important to us,” said Paige Dausinas, vice president of programming of Phi Delta Epsilon. “But it’s even more important to us now that we wanted it to be in Nick’s memory.”
The event resembled a carnival. Tickets were sold for food, a photo booth and games, complete with prizes for the winners.
The fraternity also sold shirts bearing the phrase “We stand for the kids. We stand for Nick.”
Nick’s mother, Jackie Wolfe, and sister, Samantha Wolfe, attended the event.
Samantha has been helping to sell the same shirts at Carmel High School, where Nicholas previously attended, to benefit the fraternity’s cause.
“It means a lot to us that these kids and this organization thought so much for Nicholas to carry on his passion for helping others,” Jackie said.
Nicholas was the captain of Phi Delta Epsilon’s IU Dance Marathon team, said Shreya Patel, social chair of Phi Delta Epsilon.
Proceeds from the IU Dance Marathon also go to Riley Hospital for Children.
“Nick was a really big advocate for Riley Hospital and was really passionate about the philanthropy work we do,” said Matt Razavian, vice president of recruitment for Phi Delta Epsilon. “We want people to know why we care about this so much and why we’ve worked really hard to do this for him.”
This is the second year Phi Delta Epsilon has organized the event. The fraternity has been planning this year’s event since the end of last year’s event.
When Wolfe died, it made the fraternity want to work even harder in its planning, Patel said.
“We’re a small organization, but we’re still trying to honor our cause and our brother Nick the best we can,” said Mark Halfman, a junior in Phi Delta Epsilon.
