Meet one sorority’s Assistant Philanthropy Chair Gina Sawaya who works with St. Jude and helped execute the “Sincerely Yours” fundraising event.
1. How did you get involved with St. Jude?
I first learned about the hospital on philanthropy day during sorority recruitment, and Tri Delta’s dedication to fundraising for the hospital made me want to join this sorority. I believe philanthropy should be a large part of Greek life because it demonstrates the chapter’s generosity and passion for helping others. The strength of the sorority’s love for their philanthropy reflects upon that sorority’s values. I joined the Philanthropy team over the summer and I couldn’t be more excited to have this position.
2. What is “Sincerely Yours”?
Sincerely Yours is a sisterhood letter writing campaign. The chapter gets together once a year to ask their friends, family, employers, teachers, etc. to contribute to this amazing hospital. This year, we challenged our sisters to write 50 letters, which is the most we’ve ever written. Having thousands of letters to send out was outstanding. This summer, Tri Delta nationally pledged to raise $60 million in 10 years to rename the short term housing facility on the St. Jude campus “Tri Delta Place.” I hope that the extra letters we send will help our national sorority reach that goal!
3. What is your favorite part of Sincerely Yours?
I love having my own letters done and just looking down at the stack and thinking, I’m doing something positive. My letters are going all over the country and I love feeling that sense of accomplishment. When I was counting and stamping everyone’s letters, I couldn’t help but feel proud. We even had letters going to other countries. It’s such a tangible way to help the kids at St. Jude. It costs $2 million per day to run St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and every cent we raise supports children with cancer. I just love this cause.
4. How much has Tri Delta (here and nationally) raised for St. Jude through Sincerely Yours?
To date, Tri Delta has raised $30 million nationally for St. Jude. Our chapter raises about $30,000 per year for the hospital, with about two thirds of that coming from Sincerely Yours, and the other third coming from Tri Delta Rodeo, which is an event we put on in the spring. Our chapter here at William and Mary set a goal this year to raise $150,000 in 4 years, so we’re really trying to increase how much we’re doing for the hospital.
5. How can students get involved with St. Jude here on campus?
William and Mary has a strong tie to the hospital, but you do not have to be a Tri Delta to help out. In the spring, we have a Rodeo that takes place on the Sunken Gardens. We sell tickets to this event where we have food, a petting zoo, music, and most importantly, a mechanical bull! William and Mary also supports Up ‘Til Dawn, which is a national organization that raises money for St. Jude by hosting an all-nighter once a year where teams can compete for awesome prizes. Although Up ‘Til Dawn is not affiliated with Tri Delta, both organizations care deeply about the hospital, and students should definitely participate in both events!