Editor’s note: This article was originally published by Madison Swisher for Tiago Publishing. https://www.tiogapublishing.com/the_wellsboro_mansfield_gazette/community/local-fraternity-raises-2-000-for-st-jude-childrens-hospital-at-pageant/article_2375e55c-fb2a-11ee-9e84-6fc2ef6d947b.html
This past weekend Commonwealth University Mansfield’s fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon capped off Paddy Murphy week with their annual fundraiser Miss Minerva at The Hut on Friday, April 12.
The week leading up to the Miss Minerva pageant is Paddy Murphy Week, which is a weeklong celebration celebrating the fraternities history with fun and fundraising. During this week, members of SAE recruit other campus organizations to participate by picking a young woman to be their representative in the Miss Minerva pageant. Each organization also paints a Paddy Murphy-themed coffin lid which is used to raise money by people voting with their wallets for their favorite.
Paddy Murphy Week is not taken lightly by the brothers; the story of Chicago Mobster Paddy Murphy, the brotherhood and the untouchable Eliot Ness has been passed down for years. That story can be found at www.saenicholls.com/history-of-paddy-murphy.
As part of their honoring this tale they do whatever it takes to raise money for the chosen cause. Throughout the week, the young men of SAE could be seen inside Lower Manser collecting votes for the coffin lids, and outside of South Hall Mall offering carnival style games to raise additional funds.
All proceeds from the event went to St. Jude Children’s Hospital this year. Philanthropy Chair Anthony Dunkel said the fraternity donates to a different organization every year.
“We have not always donated to St. Jude’s. Last year we donated money to a local school teacher named Elizabeth Hoover. She was a really close friend of mine so I was very involved last year, and that’s when I kind of fell in love with the position,” Dunkel said. “We raised a little over $2,000 this year.”
When the week was all said and done, the Miss Minerva pageant was set to begin. During the pageant, representatives participated in a spelling competition, trivia and showed off their best talent. The crowd went wild during the talent portion, which ranged from slam poetry, singing, to playing the bass and the accordion. The Hut filled with laughter and applause at the end of that wild ride.
The announcement of the pageant winners capped the end of this night. Kassidy Moyer, sorority Alpha Sigma Alpha representative will wear the title of Miss Minerva for the next year.
“It felt so crazy to win as a freshman. I went into it expecting not to win because it was my first year, but I was still looking forward to having a good time on stage,” Moyer said.
Second place went to Elizabeth Brant representing Alpha Sigma Tau, third place to Taylor Stone who represented the sorority Zeta Tau Alpha. Runner-ups were Isabelle O’Shell, sorority Delta Zeta, and Morgan Brian Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
SAE senior Jared Vamvakias said, “Miss Minerva felt more energized and the crowd was more involved. To myself and my brothers, this event means creating a better life for somebody who might not have the means to help themselves.” Vamvakias said it was a bittersweet time for him as this was his last year as an active student.
SAE freshman Ethan Freynik said the reality of the event exceeded his expectations.
“The amount of donations and people that showed up showed us how the community was very involved. The most rewarding part of the night was to see everyone we know at The Hut enjoying and laughing at a well put-on performance,” Freynik said.
There is one final message the brothers of SAE would like to tell the Mansfield community; “See you next year!”
There is one final message the brothers of SAE would like to tell the Mansfield community; “See you next year!”
