Super Bowl pizza raises money for diabetes

Carrie Ann Morgan

The members of Alpha Gamma Delta, 2118 Sunset Drive, decorated their dining room with sauce, cheese and dough in anticipation of Sunday’s Super Bowl Shuffle I.M.P.A.C.T. event.

The sorority sold pizzas during the weekend to earn money for the treatment and prevention of diabetes.

“The girls have a lot of fun,” said Heather Pettit, Alpha Gamma Delta’s philanthropy chairwoman. “It’s a great sisterhood activity.”

On Saturday morning, 85 members of the house set up an assembly line from 9:30 a.m. until noon. The members grouped themselves in teams at various stations to put together 400 pizzas, said Pettit, junior in psychology. The pizzas were then delivered frozen to the list of people who previously ordered either a sausage, pepperoni or cheese pizza.

“We had a good time,” said Alpha Gamma Delta President Stephanie Dieltz, junior in finance. “We played music and talked. It was fun.”

The pizzas cost $6 for one or two for $10, and were available to buy both before and after winter break.

“A lot of parents order, but we try to focus more on sororities and fraternities,” Pettit said.

This is the third year that proceeds earned from the Super Bowl Pizza Sale have been donated to the treatment and research of diabetes, Pettit said.

The members’ goal of $2,000 will be donated to the Alpha Gamma Foundation, and from there, the funds go to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

Many of the pizzas could be found on the buffet tables of the fraternities that hosted the Super Bowl Shuffle, an activity sponsored by I.M.P.A.C.T., a greek organization that promotes alcohol-free events and unity within the greek community.

I.M.P.A.C.T. stands for Initiative, Motivation, Purpose, Action, Change and Together.

“It’s a good way to meet people and not have parties, [just] hang out,” said Jay McArdle, president of I.M.P.A.C.T. and member of Phi Kappa Theta, 2110 Lincoln Way. “You don’t have to do anything except walk in with friends and have a good time, and it’s free.”

Six fraternities volunteered to be host houses for the event. Twelve sororities also signed up to participate, said McArdle, sophomore in civil engineering.

“It allows you to get a good mix of the greek system, a good intermingling for the day,” said Jeff Oleson, sophomore in computer engineering and president of Alpha Sigma Phi, 2132 Sunset Drive, one of the hosting houses.

The shuffle begins when two sororities visit one fraternity during the first quarter, then they rotate to another fraternity during the second half, McArdle said.

“We changed it this year,” McArdle said. “Last year, we rotated during half-time; this year it’s over at half-time, and you’re free to do whatever you want. We just get it started.”

This is the second year for the Super Bowl Shuffle and I.M.P.A.C.T. events.

“We want to get I.M.P.A.C.T.’s name out and get people interested and involved,” McArdle said.