Greek houses hold car wash for Make-A-Wish Foundation

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Numerous students and community members made a stop from their daily routines at the Chi Omega sorority house, 229 Burcham Drive, Thursday afternoon to have their cars washed for a good cause.

Members of the Chi Omega sorority and Phi Gamma Delta fraternity banded together to hold their first-ever car wash fundraiser from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday to help raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.

There was no set price for the car wash — all donations were welcomed and will be given directly to the foundation.

In addition to getting a car or bike wash, music, food and refreshments also were popular features at the event.

“We chose to do a car wash because it is very student oriented,” said Sarah Jones, communication junior and Chi Omega chapter president.

“It’s something that everyone can have fun with.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is an organization whose main goal is to grant the wishes of children who suffer from life-threatening conditions between the ages of about 2-18 years old, said Laura Varon Brown, director of communications and public relations at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.

“When a child is faced with an illness, their family can be turned inside out, and the basic need for joy and those experiences are lost,” she said. “This (wish) brings families together and gives kids a license to use their imagination for something other than their illness.”

Brown said in recent years, the foundation has been impressed with the involvement of college-age individuals, especially students at MSU.

Although they didn’t have a set goal, Jones said they hope to raise as much money as possible while also bringing awareness to the issue.

“People don’t realize how lucky we really are,” Jones said. “It is so important to use what you have to give back and benefit others in need.”

Human biology sophomore and philanthropy chair for Phi Gamma Delta Dan McAree said the car wash was an amazing way for fraternities and sororities to do something good for their community.

“When you’re involved in a big group, like a fraternity, it’s easy to get people together for a common cause,” he said. “Why not do something positive that will benefit others when you have the power to do so?”

Ryan McPhail, a media arts and technology junior who decided to get his bike washed at the event, said it was a great way for the greek community to use its resources to benefit those in need.

“Even though we’re college students and don’t have much money to give, it’s important to give people who are less fortunate the opportunity to make their wishes come true,” McPhail said.

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