Kappa Delta Sorority Wins the 49th Annual Sigma Chi Derby Days
By: Darby Radcliff
The ladies of the sorority Kappa Delta were the 2012 champions of the 49th Annual Sigma Chi Derby Days, which was held on April 14th.
Derby Days is a week-long annual event put on by the fraternity members of Sigma Chi, in which all Ole Miss sororities participate in events such as a blood drive, which benefits the Mississippi Blood Services, a coach selection, a penny drop, as well as a scavenger hunt held throughout the University of Mississippi’s campus for the coveted Derby Day Cup.
All of these competitive events served to test the members of each sorority’s dedication, teamwork, endurance, and creativity leading up to Derby Day Saturday.
After all the week-long festivities, on the Saturday of Derby Days, each sorority competed at the Intramural Fields in field games, such as an obstacle course, flag tag, bombs away, and tug- of-war.
Following these events, each sorority presented their Derby Day Queen, and then competed in a themed dance competition. Referees for the field games were members of the Sigma Chi fraternity, and the judges for the dance were Alumni and friends of Sigma Chi.
Awards given at Derby Day Saturday included first place, which was awarded to Kappa Delta, then, second place which was awarded to Delta Gamma, and finally, third place was awarded to Delta Delta Delta.
Many sororities have said that they have found True Sisterhood in working together for this Derby Days event, and also felt amazing through the proceeds they helped to raise to donate to the charity fund that Sigma Chi was benefitting that year.
Locally, the money raised through these Derby Days events goes to one Oxford/Lafayette organization, and in years past, Sigma Chi has donated their funds to the Oxford Medical Ministries, Mississippi Family Relief Fund, Manna Feeding Ministries, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America, Young Life, and Hope for Africa.
Proceeds from the event this year benefitted the local charities such as Lovepacks and the Boys and Girls Club of Oxford, MS.
The local charity called the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi allows children ages 6 – 18 to inspire and enable all their young minds to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and
caring citizens. Children involved are taught diversity, family involvement, teens services, and have ongoing relationships with caring, professional adults, and hope and opportunity, while being in a safe place.
The local charity called Lovepacks serves to help feed Oxford school age children in need on weekends and holidays. This charity was created after the initial realization of just how hungry many children were in the Oxford community, so Lovepacks started making food for 22 children in one school. As more resources came available, Lovepacks then added 5 more schools. As of the fall of 2011, they have donated over 1,500 Lovepacks. Lovepacks are also discreetly slipped into the children’s backpack on Friday before they leave to go home on the weekend or holidays, and school administrators and counselors help decided which children are in need. Each Lovepack costs around $12 to make.
Annually, the Eta Chapter of Sigma Chi raises between $35,000 – $50,000, so this year’s Derby Days helped to raise a lot of funds to benefit local charity funds in Oxford, Mississippi.