In the middle of rush season, when fraternities are scrambling to find recruits and most events are targeted at enticing potential pledges, Lambda Chi Alpha brothers found time for something else: a car show to benefit a local disaster fund.
Tim Ekl / Rose Thorn
Brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha pose by a Chevrolet SS on Saturday during their car show to help raise money for a local disaster fund. The disaster fund was initiated following the Vigo County floods of 2008.
The Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity hosted a car show on Saturday, showing off 27 cars from various individuals and clubs around the Terre Haute area. Over 30 members of the fraternity worked at the show in some way, providing services, from welcoming guests to cooking food, and everything in between.
“There used to be a car show at Rose-Hulman a long time ago,” Brad Pruett, senior chemical engineer and Lambda Chi Alpha vice-president in charge of external affairs, said. “It was something all the brothers wanted to try out and do. It was another community service event that everyone thought was kind of interesting.”
Pruett, who was responsible for the majority of the work that went into organizing the show, started planning last May about how to make this event a reality.
“I went up to a whole bunch of car shows around the area and I talked to the clubs in Terre Haute, like the Mustang Club and the Hot Rodders Club,” Pruett said.
The show raised over $400, all of which went to the Soggy Donut Fund. The fund, started by Terre Haute police officers after a flood that occurred two summers ago, is a national organization that aims to help police officers and other service members recover from natural disasters.
Both the amount raised and the number of cars that showed up pleasantly surprised Pruett, who didn’t have a goal for either number going in to the show.
“I heard [27 cars] was pretty good for your first year,” Pruett said. “It was a lot a fun, a really fun day. A lot of cool cars came by. I think we’ll be doing this next year too.”