Welcome back to Orlando, students of UCF! With August now behind us and September in full swing, the students of Central Florida know to expect a full calendar of academics, fun, and other annual events that make our campus life everything it is. One particular group of students kicking off the semester from the get-go are the Greeks. Notoriously known for extravagant philanthropies, fundraisers, and dance contests, this growing demographic of ambitious socialites are doing everything in their power to step up and give back to the community. Our story today focuses on Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity’s annual ‘Get on the Ball’ philanthropy, benefiting Children’s Miracle Network of Orlando. While this event is a fundraiser, it’s anything but typical, and the impression that the fraternity leaves on the UCF community is definitely long-lasting.
Nationally, Get on the Ball has the timeless reputation of being the fraternity’s most outlandish and creative way to raise money. The ZBT’s can be seen rolling the six-foot ball around campus and collecting nothing but signatures, each one raising more money for the children. The guys are outside the Student Union from Monday until Friday, for six hours every day, asking each student who walks by to sign the ball. Students of UCF know the Student Union to be the place to expect being overwhelmed with offers; being asked to donate to a certain fundraiser, sign a certain petition, or take a book of coupons or flyers. However, Get on the Ball is much more than that. Not only is it free, but everyone who signs can walk away knowing that their signature made a difference to a child in need. It truly is a fun way to get the community involved in something worth fighting for.
As far as getting brothers and community members involved, this project is nothing short of a group effort. Each and every one of the chapter’s brothers, as well as business owners and corporations, donate their time to make this vision a reality. Headed by the fraternity’s Philanthropy Chair, Daniel Balva, the time and preparation that went into making this fundraiser a reality was not simple. When asked about what he did to prepare for this event, Dan said, “Over the past few months we went around to small businesses and corporations in the area trying to get sponsors for our event. We were fortunate enough to get a great group of sponsors, and they basically donated to our fundraiser; some gave a flat rate donation and others pledged to donate for every signature we received on the ball. So, throughout the week, we rolled the six-foot ball around campus, got students and faculty to sign as they walked by, and we ended up receiving nearly ten thousand signatures. We’re looking to give a very large amount of money to the Children’s Miracle Network, and we have our UCF community to thank.” This statement surely became evident when the week came to an end and the thousands of signatures had been tallied. ZBT exemplified that great things can be achieved when you put in hard work and dedication.
Nearly every organization strives to raise money or give something back to the community, but to do something that makes the students want to help out and contribute definitely deserves recognition. It makes perfect sense: If the event is more fun or original, the students will be more apt to want to participate, and the gentlemen of Zeta Beta Tau truly accomplished this. I asked Daniel what he hoped that the brotherhood took from this experience, and he replied, “I hope everyone here leaves with a sense of achievement, because we can honestly say that we accomplished everything we originally sought out to accomplish.”
As the fall of 2011 begins to pass us by, we begin to notice new and exciting ventures on our campus, in our community, and in our own organizations. Get on the Ball is only one example of what Greeks, as well as clubs and societies, are doing to give back to the greater Orlando community. The message of this article is to get involved. If you’re a freshman or new to UCF and Orlando in general, I strongly encourage you to put your good ideas to good use, become a part of something greater than yourself, and leave at least one legacy of accomplishment on our campus community before you graduate.