By Nicole Ferrito
Staff Writer
Hotdogs and hamburgers were grilled for 24 hours straight on Tuesday, April 28, as the brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity at the College fundraised for the Heroes to Heroes foundation, one of their national philanthropies.
At this year’s annual day and night barbeque event, the fraternity raised $2,498.15 to be donated to the their philanthropy.
“We figured it would be something that was fun for us and for the campus,” junior chemistry major and President of AEPI Andy Glass said on choosing to do a 24-hour barbecue as a way to raise funds. In addition to hotdogs and hamburgers, the brothers sold “Support Our Troops” bracelets, pretzels and other snacks.
The brothers chose to raise funds for Heroes to Heroes because two of their members are related to war veterans, Glass said.
Since the fraternity has hosted the barbecue since Alpha Epsilon Pi’s establishment on campus in 2007, they felt it was a part of their history to continue the event, according to junior and philanthropy chair of the fraternity Alec Grossman.
“It brings out every brother and the students,” Grossman said.
When commenting on the reasoning behind planning the event Glass said, “It’s just something different that not a lot of other groups do.” The fraternity stationed themselves outside the Travers and Wolf dorms and said they do get a lot of people that come out to the event at night.
“I think it’s really cool and a good cause,” said Priscilla Blanco, junior Deaf education and Spanish double major, who was grabbing a hotdog during at the event during the afternoon.
The Heroes to Heroes foundation aims to help veterans who have tried to commit suicide or are suffering with depression.
“We provide a spiritual healing and peer support program for veterans,” program founder Judy Schaffer said.
The veterans are taken on a trip to Israel, Schaffer said. The journey is meant to “help them regain that sense of self and faith.” The program takes a group of about 10 veterans, who are paired with three to five mentors from Israel. Heroes to Heroes is a non-denominational program and is open to all combat veterans.
The program was established five years ago and has had over 60 veterans participate in the program, according to Schaffer. They will be sending another group to Israel in October. Schaffer explained that the trip is both a spiritual and social journey and that the veterans help each other to heal.
Schaffer added that all of the funds raised and donated go directly to the program.
