For one day only, a carnival with a cause is coming to UF.
On Sunday, UF’s chapters of national coed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega and national South Asian-based fraternity Beta Chi Theta will hold the “Care to Play?” philanthropy carnival on Hume Field.
The event, which will be held from 2 to 6 p.m., will raise funds primarily for Alpha Phi Omega and Beta Chi Theta’s philanthropies.
“This is something we’ve wanted to do for years, and we’ve just never had a service director to pick it up and run with it,” said Anantharam “Ram” Peesapati, a 20-year-old UF psychology and behavioral science junior who serves as Beta Chi Theta’s service director. “My president came to me when I was elected and said, ‘We’re going to make this happen this year.’”
Seven additional organizations, including the Albanian Student Association, PeaceJam and the Bengali Student Association, will have booths with activities and crafts at the carnival, he said. Theatre Strike Force and various dance groups will also perform.
Though admission to the carnival is free, donations must be made at each booth to participate.
Seventy percent of profits will go to Alpha Phi Omega’s chosen philanthropy, Free the Children, and Beta Chi Theta’s philanthropy, Beating Heart Disease. The remaining proceeds will go to each of the booths’ chosen philanthropies.
Peesapati said the goal is to make the carnival a yearly event to raise at least $1,000 for philanthropies.
Katie Gresham, a 19-year-old UF history sophomore, said the charity aspect makes the carnival even more appealing.
“Philanthropic service is very important, especially here at UF,” Gresham said. “And I’m always looking for something to do on a Sunday that’s not homework.”
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 2/12/2014 under the headline "UF fraternities to put on campus charity carnival Sunday"]
