By Natalie Kouba
Editor-in-Chief
While the rest of the world has been raising awareness and donations for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis through the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge on social media platforms, the sisters of the College’s Kappa Delta chapter supported the cause in their own way, keeping with the frosty theme and holding an ice cream fundraiser at Uncle Ed’s Creamery in Pennington. KD isn’t donating the funds to the ALS Association, though – instead, they are working to support a family close to the sisterhood.
“We chose to raise money for ALS because one of our sister’s family members recently passed away from ALS,” said senior marketing major and KD President Jillian McCarthy. “With all of the talk about it, we figured we’d jump onboard and try to help someone who is close to one of our sisters.”
The ice cream fundraiser, which took place from Monday, Sept. 8, to Friday, Sept. 12, raised $416 for the family of David Huey, who passed away on Thursday, Aug. 21 after suffering with ALS for about a year. Huey was Kappa Delta member Sarah Kolonia’s uncle’s brother, who, she said, was just like an uncle to her.
“He helped so many people and dedicated his life to making others happy,” Kolonia said. “He had an unforgettable sense of humor and such a positive outlook on life. He loved to make people laugh and did so until the day he passed.”
The money raised will go toward helping to pay for medical expenses. Additionally, the funds will contribute to changes made to the family’s home to create a more comfortable place for Huey to live while suffering from the neurodegenerative disease.
And the Huey family is in for a generous surprise from Kappa Delta as a result of the fundraiser.
“The Huey family actually doesn’t know the fundraiser is happening yet,” McCarthy said. “Our sister Sarah (Kolonia) is going to surprise them.”
The College’s chapter of KD’s philanthropy is raising awareness for child abuse, typically focusing its efforts on Prevent Child Abuse America and Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey. This year, the sorority will be adding the B+ Foundation, which helps fight childhood cancer, to its philanthropic causes. Raising money for ALS was not a part of Kappa Delta’s original philanthropy, but an important cause for the sisters nevertheless.
“Anyone who has been affected by this horrible disease is in awe of the awareness and money raised recently,” Kolonia said. “My sisters of the Zeta Theta chapter of Kappa Delta sorority wanted to help me support David Huey’s family in their time of need.”
