The Kent State Greek community came together Sunday to host the annual event, Songfest. At Songfest, the sororities and fraternities team up to raise money for a one common philanthropy. This year, the money went to the King Kennedy Community Center in Ravenna, Ohio.
Each team was comprised of one sorority and multiple fraternities. Together, these teams were able to raise $41,150 for the community center. This money will be used towards revamping the center, which was built in the 1970s by KSU students.
Lajoyce Harris, the program manager of the King Kennedy Community Center, judged the performances.
“The kids [of the community center] are awesome, the community is awesome and when you’re able to just give a bag of food to someone, knowing that they will be able to eat is an awesome feeling,” described Harris when asked what the money raise at Songfest could do to help the King Kennedy Community Center.
The King Kennedy Community Center is dear to Harris’ heart. When Harris was unemployed four years ago, the previous director offered her a position.
On average, there are more than 100 kids who participate in the community center’s programs. The center is free for the kids and strives to provide them with positive experiences. Most kids who go to the community center are coming from Ravenna, Rootstown and Streetsboro, but everyone is welcome to come.
“As I am sitting here watching [the members of the Greek community], I am thinking about the kids [of the community center] playing on the basketball court, we really need a new basketball court, a new playground area, new computers and new software that will be better to help with their homework,” said Harris. “I can only imagine what we’re going to do with this money.”
The Greek teams were divided into various groups and colored teams. The night was emceed by junior, public relatons major, Keri Richmond and senior, theater studies major, Clifford Glowacki. The green team, which was made up of Chi Omega, Alpha Epsilon Phi and Phi Delta Theta won the People’s Choice award for their School of Rock skit.
The emcees also announced the teams that raised the most money. The orange team, which was made up of Delta Gamma, Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Phi Kappa Psi, won by brining in a total of $6,000.