SUPPORTING KIDS: ACTIVITY DAY

2013 – The Delta Lambda chapter has always been passionate about benefitting kids through various charity works, but we never had a consistent signature event. As Philanthropy Chairman my freshman year, it was my goal to connect our chapter’s passion for supporting kids with our interest in athletics into a sustainable Signature Event. After months of brainstorming, the concept of Activity Day was born and Delta Lambda has never looked back.

Collegiate students are surrounded by support systems: their professors, their friends, their family, their brothers. These are the people we can rely on to pick us back up, but not everyone is as fortunate to have people like this in their lives. For those less fortunate, the wonderful people of Boys & Girls Club step in to some of the most underprivileged communities. The Avondale Boys & Girls Club services over 150 kids from the most impoverished community in Cincinnati. Inspired by their service, every year Cincinnati ATO gives back through our Signature Event – Activity Day.

In the past two years, Activity Day has hosted more than 200 children and raised more than $6,500 for the Boys & Girls Club. While those numbers are great, the event is so dear to our hearts because of the kids. Seeing the smiles on their faces as they step onto a college campus for the first time warms the heart of each of our members. Activity Day provides these kids the opportunity to see life outside of their community and it is our hope that it gives them the motivation to receive a higher education later in life.

Activity Day is always evolving. Just last year we added Team Leaders, providing the joyous experience of playing with kids to the UC Greek Community. In 2015, 14 Greek organizations joined us on Activity Day, providing a one-on-one experience for the kids. This made the experience more personal and more memorable for everyone involved. We look forward to continue expanding the event for an even greater impact for the kids of Boys & Girls Club.

Through Activity Day, Delta Lambda is able to impact the lives of so many individuals. From the kids to the employees of the Boys & Girls Club to the entire Greek Community, we strive to improve the quality of life for everyone involved. While the event may only last a couple of hours, the effects of Activity Day are seen every day. A culture of service has been firmly established at ATO with our chapter ranking as the strongest fraternity on campus in community service. We are proud to have this distinction because giving back to our community is our way of saying thank you to all those who have supported us throughout the years. Not everyone is as lucky as we are to have the professors, friends, family and the brothers that we have through ATO.

We hope that in the smallest of ways Activity Day gives those who need it most the support to lead a happy and self-fulfilling life. For that, Activity Day will always be something that we hold dear and it is why the inaugural Activity Day is the best day of my year.