During the past two weekends, 10 fraternities took to the ice to raise money for cancer research in the fifth anniversary of Drop the Puck on Cancer.
Drop the Puck on Cancer is a hockey event founded in 2011 by Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Chi and Carl Lamb, an attorney in Bloomington and the CEO and president of Collegiate Charities.
When it began, Drop the Puck was just one game between Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Chi, Lamb said.
This year, it consists of five games between 10 fraternities, played over the course of two weekends.
All proceeds go to the American Brain Tumor Association, the primary philanthropy of Drop the Puck, Lamb said.
In the past five years, he said a total of about $150,000 has been donated to the ABTA.
Attending Drop the Puck is worth it just for support of the ABTA alone, said senior Sydney Sauce, who has been attending the event since its first year.
“Who doesn’t want to watch a hockey game for cancer?” Sauce said. “Two frats beating the shit out of each other? Who doesn’t want to see that?”
Collegiate Charities puts on cancer-related events at nine other colleges across the country, Lamb said.
“The bottom line is we’re doing a lot of good for a lot of people who need our help,” Lamb said.
Because the philanthropy for this event is cancer-based, IU freshman Cameron Hillocks said he believes Drop the Puck will always be relevant.
“I think this is going to keep growing,” Hillocks said. “I don’t think it’s going to die out.”
This year, Lamb said he hopes Drop the Puck will raise another $100,000.
For the final game alone, he said it raised $15,000 in 26 minutes through ticket sales.
The games are played by hockey players who are also students at IU, Lamb said.
“These are guys who have grown up on the ice all around the country, coming to Indiana University to study,” Lamb said.
In the first game Feb. 26, Phi Kappa Psi alumni beat Kappa Sigma, 5-4.
Due to their recent suspension, Phi Psi players could only be recognized as alumni, instead of students, Lamb said.
Phi Psi has worked with Drop the Puck since late August for the event and has raised money for it.
“We thought just because they were kicked off campus didn’t mean they were going to leave our event,” Lamb said.
On Feb. 27, Lambda Chi Alpha beat Delta Upsilon, 5-1.
On March 1, Pi Kappa Phi beat Alpha Epsilon Pi, 10-3.
Phi Delta Theta beat Theta Chi 6-2 Friday.
In the final game Saturday, Beta Theta Pi beat Sigma Chi 7-2.
The work with the philanthropy to make it more successful is why Drop the Puck is still an important event, Lamb said.
“My guys that I work with are very dedicated guys that love what they do,” Lamb said. “They love not only the fact they’re playing hockey, but they’re raising money for this really good cause.”
