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Zeta Phi Beta to host campus stroll-off

So You Think You Can Stroll is a fundraising event hosted by Zeta Phi Beta to raise money and awareness for March of Dimes.
So You Think You Can Stroll is a fundraising event hosted by Zeta Phi Beta to raise money and awareness for March of Dimes.

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Zeta Phi Beta will be hosting their annual “So You Think You Can Stroll” event on Thursday, April 14 at 7:20 p.m. in the Bear Rock Café to support March of Dimes. This will mark the third year that Mercer’s Omega Mu chapter of Zeta Phi Beta has put on the strolling event.

So You Think You Can Stroll gives Mercer’s sorority and fraternity members an opportunity to show off their coordination, creativity and synchronization skills by creating original strolls.

“The different organizations make strolls and compete for a trophy and bragging rights,” said Zeta Phi Beta Philanthropy Chair, Deborah Ayoade.

There is a $25 entry fee for teams. Zeta Phi Beta will be selling tickets for two dollars in advance and three dollars at the door. There are a total of 250 tickets for sale for this event.

“The first year there were not as many people as we wanted, but last year a lot of people showed up. We hope a lot more people will come this year because it is on Bear Day and no one has classes, and because the more people that come to the event the more money we can raise,” Ayoade said.

The deadline for team entry is March 31. The members of Zeta Phi Beta have recently decided to open up the event to non-Greek organizations as well.

“Previously So You Think You Can Stroll was open only to Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council groups, but this year we really wanted to open it up to other people,” Ayoade said.

“The event begins with an introduction and then we invite the teams on one at a time for their first stroll. After all the teams have finished their first stroll we have intermission, and the Zetas do a stroll and other non-Panhellenic and IFC groups are allowed to stroll,” Ayoade added.

After intermission it is time for the teams’ second round of strolls. When all teams have competed it is up to the audience to choose the winner.

“Usually people only see strolls at parties, but to see Panhellenic and IFC stroll is fun and it is really fun to see what all the different organizations bring to the table,” Ayoade said.

There are usually about four or five teams that compete. “So far there are five teams signed up. We would love for all the Greek organizations to participate but we know there are time constraints and everyone has a lot of stuff going on,” Ayoade said.

The event lasts between an hour and an hour and a half depending on the number of teams and the length of the routines.

“We try not to keep people there for a long time while still trying to give them a good show,” Ayoade said.

While the stroll-off offers the Greek system a chance to strut their stuff, that is not the only reason Mercer students attend the event.

“The event is a chance to display Greek unity, but it also promotes awareness and raises funds for March of Dimes,” Ayoade said.

The mission of March of Dimes is to help mothers have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies, boasted the March of Dimes website.

The March of Dimes also acts to share the best practices in perinatal health and help improve birth outcomes where the needs are the most urgent.

While there are currently only five active members of Zeta Phi Beta, that does not limit their dedication to the March of Dimes and other charities.

Zeta Phi Beta also raises funds to support the American Cancer Society among other philanthropic organizations including Goodwill and the Food Bank, as well as tutoring at Alexander II and the Boys and Girls Club of America.

However, the March of Dimes and the American Cancer Society are the sorority’s biggest philanthropies. “Buy tickets. It is going to be a great show,” Ayoade said.


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