Melissa Gasia
Staff Writer
Casino chips and dice were rolling as Sigma Kappa Sorority hosted its fourth annual Casino Night on Nov. 22 at the Abraham Campus Center to raise funds for the Sigma Kappa Foundation.
“It’s basically our number one event of the year,” said Teresa Crum, vice president of philanthropic services for Sigma Kappa. “It’s very appealing to a lot of people. So many girls in chapter invite their parents, their relatives and grandparents. Anybody can come and anyone can play.”
The Ultra Violet Casino Night raised $4,512 for the Sigma Kappa Foundation, a nonprofit organization that builds and funds leadership development and scholarships for the sorority.
“Sigma Kappa Foundation is something that we raise money and donate to while we can give back to our own sisters who are in Sigma Kappa Sorority across the nation,” said Melissa Procopio, senior business major and Sigma Kappa president. “When there’s a disaster or sister in need, those funds can go to them.”
The room was designed to appear as a casino with playing tables and dealers from a company called LA Night Entertainment.
Gamblers dressed in cocktail attire and tested their luck at roulette, craps, blackjack and poker.
The sorority provided guests with refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.
“At first I was really nervous thinking ‘Oh. I’m going and not knowing anybody’, but I’m actually really enjoying myself a lot,” freshman English major Anna Bartelt said.
Every playing table was filled and dealers were continuously working at a fast pace.
“Everybody’s just having fun with it and getting risky with their gambling, so everybody just put in the money knowing it’s going to go to a good cause,” Bartelt said.
Guests donated $20, which was exchanged for $200 worth of playing casino chips.
“It’s really jam-packed seeing how many people are here,” said Cindy Day, parent of sophomore Sigma Kappa member Shannon Day. “It looks like they are having a good time.”
At the end of the night, every $100 chips were exchanged for one raffle ticket for guests to enter to win assorted gift baskets and prizes.
The gift baskets up for grabs included a movie night, a tailgate party, an ice cream party and a pampering basket, among others.
Gift cards to salons, spas and restaurants were also among the prizes.
“From past records, it seems like everyone’s really enjoyed coming to the casino night,” Procopio said. “Everyone of all ages can have fun and that’s what we try to target— a diverse group of people.”
On a separate table, a wine basket, a workout basket, a Disney basket and a Speedo backpack filled with products were up for silent auction. Each basket and the backpack ranged in value from $75 to $150.
Winners were announced at the end of the night to bring home their prizes.
Melissa Gasia can be reached at melissa.gasia@laverne.edu.
