Chicken Wing Thing

Why was Southwest Recreation Center so over-crowded on Tuesday night? Maybe it was because 25 fraternities cooked signature wings while 16 sororities baked homemade desserts Tuesday afternoon to support the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Council's first-ever joint philanthropy, the Chicken Wing Thing.

Guests who did not wear spandex were obviously not prepared to do some serious eating. After we (and the judges) tasted all 41 delicacies, it was Tau Kappa Epsilon’s Johnny’s Wings and Sigma Kappa’s red velvet cake that took home the gold. Corey Portnoy, co-founder of the event, says it only made sense that the boys of IFC and the girls of Panhellenic would come together to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of Alachua County.

After pant buttons started to pop and about $5,000 was raised, this Bobby Flay v. Paula Dean-like Iron Chef Showdown was deemed a yummy success!

—Jillian Rogers, photos by John Parady

PKT Oasis Party

We scoped out PKT's Oasis Party Saturday night, and found out why the fraternity's parties are so highly buzzed about. For the first time since 2005, PKT dropped 25 tons of sand for its Oasis party. It was a night of fiery, tropical madness as partygoers danced under waterfalls, waded in kiddie pools the guys dug out and lounged under a 20 foot pyramid.
We hope Oasis lives on next year!




-- Filipe Deandrade

Surf Frenzy 09

Students from all over Gainesville made an appearance at The Venue downtown Wednesday night to witness the ultimate sorority dance competition. Sororities anticipate the fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon’s philanthropy, Surf Frenzy, every fall semester, in which women get the chance to scandalously bust out dance moves while raising money for the Florida Camp for Children and Youth with Diabetes, which gives children with diabetes the ultimate camping experience.

By 9pm, the line was backed up and stretched around the corner. Bouncers attempted to control the crowd, but women (and men too) were pushing their way through, anxious to see their favorite sorority perform. By the time I got to the front, it was one in and one out, with more than 50 girls behind me, but I was prepared for the wait, as Sig Ep’s philanthropy is always the crowd favorite.

Once I finally got inside, I felt like I was at a rock concert, dripping with sweat and finding myself singing along to “I’m in Miami Bitch,” inspired by the “Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami” TV show.

The amount of sorority gear, screaming girls and signs bearing Greek letters was intense, as well as the outfits worn by each sorority—but I did not expect anything else. Neon colors, smoky eyes and bright suspenders were the trends on stage. Sororities put a spin on children’s classics, incorporating favorites like “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” “Alice In Wonderland” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” into their dance moves. Whoever said Alice wasn’t sexy was seriously mistaken, especially at a college event, where less is more.

Delta Gamma took first place, with Zeta Tau Alpha in second and Alpha Omicron Pi in third. Not a huge surprise if you ask the Greeks.

It was a good night filled with excitement, pride and a whole lotta skin. Until next year … sororities, my advice is start preparing now if you intend to bring your “A” game to this man-pleasing, skin-stripping affair.

—Text and photos by Brooke Aronoff