Greek community expected to raise about $5,000 for an AIDS foundation by painting and playing volleyball By Christina Stewart, Senior Staff WriterEight San Diego State sororities “painted their hearts out”Saturday to raise money for Sigma Alpha Mu’s philanthropy benefitingthe Elizabeth Glacier AIDS Foundation.
“Paint Your Heart Out” is a Clear Channel Radio community outreachprogram of volunteers who help paint and refurbish San Diegoproperties that are in need of a fresh look.
Sigma Alpha Mu worked with “Paint Your Heart Out” last weekend byrounding up members of sororities and handing them paintbrushes. Eachsorority house was assigned to one of six San Diego locations underthe direction of two Sigma Alpha Mu coaches.
Sigma Alpha Mu President Dan Kaufnan said the two coaches and twoassistant coaches went to their assigned sorority houses between 7:30a.m. and 8:30 a.m. last Saturday.
“The coaches were there helping them wake up and getting themmotivated,” Kaufnan said.
Kaufnan teamed up with about 15 Gamma Phi Beta girls to helprefurbish a Clairemont firehouse. The group, and about 10 othervolunteers from the community, spent three hours working to thesounds of KIOZ Rock 105.3, which came to support the event, Kaufnansaid.
“It looked awesome,” he said. “The firefighters were amazed andso excited to have them there. And it was fun watching everyone getpaint all over them. We were painting the overhead beams and paintdropped down in their hair.”
Delta Gamma member Courtney Frain said 15 Delta Gamma girls werepainting more than the rundown playground site on the other side oftown.
“It was just a really good time, and the 15 of us who went allbonded and we painted ourselves,” Frain said. “It was really early,and we all painted together a dirty little playground up in thehills.”
Frain said the “nasty” playground looked much better afterspending three hours working with other volunteers to give it a newpaint job.
“It was actually really cool,” she said. “We had our littlecoaches come and they told us about the little playground we weregoing to paint, and we painted all the little buildings around there.It raises a lot of money.”
Brian Hamilton, vice president of Sigma Alpha Mu, expects theevent will raise between $4,000 and $5,000 for their charity, theElizabeth Glacier AIDS Foundation.
“I’m just really proud to see everyone come out and participate,”Hamilton said. “This is why we’re here.”
Hamilton said fraternities and sororities are about more than justhaving fun.
“Everyone comes out to paint, having fun together and doingsomething for the community,” he said.
The girls traded in their paintbrushes for volleyballs Sunday andparticipated in a double-elimination volleyball tournament at SouthMission Beach.
Alpha Delta Pi member Dorri Daggett spent her Saturday touching upthe edges and painting the deck of a house in Santee, but spent herSunday in the sand.
Daggett said two of her sorority sisters used to play volleyballcompetitively and that the house was excited to give its best effortin the tournament.
“We have a couple girls who know how to play and a lot who want totry to play,” she said. “I’m hoping we do really well. We’re all herefor one cause and we’re all excited to play.”
After soaking up the sun and setting and spiking volleyballs allday, the sororities met at BJ’s Restaurant to take part in SigmaAlpha Mu’s award ceremony, which offered more than just trophies.BJ’s donated 15 percent of the total bill to the Elizabeth GlacierFoundation.
Kaufnan said he was excited about his house’s philanthropy and ishappy to be active in the community again.
“This is the first philanthropy we’ve had in the last five years,”he said. “We’ve been trying to get back on campus. Overall, it was areally fun weekend.”
