As some members of the greek community will be getting ready for formals this weekend, others will be honing their building skills or doing nothing at all.

Ten sorority and fraternity chapters will be participating in Operation Playground this weekend — which has been traditionally reserved for late-night float building, cherry pies and college showcases.

Leigh Theideman, Leaders INspiring Connections public relations director, said the playgrounds will serve as a permanent thank-you to the city of Ames.

This time last year, Theideman said she and her Pi Beta Phi sorority sisters were finishing their Veishea float and the weekend meant spending time with alumni, watching their float in the parade and testing food at the Taste of Veishea on Welch Avenue. Theideman said she believes members of her sorority learned about commitment while building their float.

The only benefit Theideman sees from Veishea’s absence is being able to take part in the playground building project.

Three parks will be renovated this weekend with the help of the greek community.

Delta Zeta sorority, Delta Tau Delta fraternity and Sigma Kappa sorority plan to fix up the Gateway Park playground, 1500 Gateway Hills Park Drive; Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, Gamma Phi Beta sorority and Pi Beta Phi sorority are working in Old Town, 826 Douglas Ave.; and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, Kappa Delta sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and Phi Delta Theta fraternity will be in River Valley Park, 725 E. 13th St.

Sam Strickler, president of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, said his chapter will focus on community service and finding business sponsors along with working more with his chapter’s philanthropy — adopt-a-school. He also said he feels not having Veishea this year is hurting members by not giving them the opportunity to hand down welding and float building skills to the younger members.

“Veishea is something that is very much its own thing,” Strickler said. “There are only a few people who can build characters and weld the chassis.”

Strickler said it is going to be hard after losing one year, but he hopes that with Veishea’s return next spring more chapters will get excited and want to build floats.

“Veishea is a long standing tradition at Iowa State and the biggest event in our chapter is building the Veishea float every year,” Strickler said. “We are really excited for next year to build a float and increase the competition.”

Members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity would usually be finishing their Veishea float, but this year the fraternity is hosting a philanthropy four-square tournament with Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Dave Weinhold, philanthropy chairman for Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said the philanthropy has no direct link to Veishea and will most likely be moved to the fall.

Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity has decided to take the year off.

“We are trying to save money for next year,” said Alpha Kappa Lamba president Chris Feil. “We will probably spend more money on lawn display and making improvements around the house.”

Jason Carroll and Melissa Connell, Interfraternity Council and Collegiate Panhellenic Council vice presidents of risk management, said there are no parties registered, and four formals scheduled for this weekend.