Across the nation, greek communities celebrate their organization in a variety of ways on their college campuses. At Iowa State the celebration is known as Greek Week.

Beginning March 30 and continuing until April 4, ISU fraternities and sororities will compete against one another for the coveted title of Greek Week Champion.

The Greek Week theme “Building on Today, Reaching for Tomorrow” explains the work and dedication greek members have put forth to strengthen the community and the university.

During Greek Week, each sorority is paired with two fraternities. The teams compete in events intended to strengthen the university, give back to the community and increase awareness of Greek Letter Social Societies at ISU.

Justin Carleton, senior in marketing and one of the Greek Week co-chairs, said the celebration has a rich history.

“It has been going on for at least 25 years,” Carleton said. “My dad still tells stories of the stuff that his house did to win.”

One of the most important aspects of Greek Week includes various community service projects in which each house collects pennies and pop cans and then donates the proceeds to various local schools.

“Each member is expected to donate $5 in pennies and five cans,” said Tony Klocke, sophomore in English and Greek Week chairman for Delta Tau Delta fraternity. “Houses also collect Campbell’s Soup can labels that are donated to local schools.”

Klocke said Campbell’s Soup in turn donates computer equipment and other technical materials for the students to use.

The projects serve such organizations as Habitat for Humanity, Ames High School, the Boys and Girls Club, Story County Conservation Board and the Ames YMCA.

Teams must complete their community service projects by March 31.

Many houses will fulfill their community service duty by participating in a first-ever Dance-A-Thon this Sunday.

Carleton said the ISU greek system truly is committed to strengthening the Ames community through their projects.

“We will raise approximately $10,000 for the community through the various events that we have during Greek Week. You really have to look at the results and impact that this celebration has on the community,” he said.

Another major event during Greek Week is Vespers, an awards program that honors contributions that individuals have made to the greek community. The program will be held Monday at CY Stephens Auditorium, and awards for Greek Man and Greek Woman of the Year and Greek President of the Year also will be announced.

Order of Omega, the new initiate in the Greek Honor Society, also will be honored for its scholastic and extracurricular achievements.

Greek Week also includes a blood drive, which currently is being held in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union until Friday.

During the blood drive, all ISU students and faculty are welcome to donate their time or to give blood.

“Annually, the event has been hailed the largest blood drive in the nation with over 2,400 donors expected to give blood this year,” said Monica Stuart, coordinator of the blood drive.

One of the most time-consuming and competitive events during Greek Week is the lip sync contest.

For the contest, team members pick music and choreograph dances to create a theme-based skit.

First cuts for this event will be held on March 31 at 7 p.m., and final cuts will be held at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall on April 2. Five teams are scheduled to compete in the contest.

A new Greek Week event this year, open to the entire university population, is a dance and casino night.

Doors open at 9 p.m. on April 2 at the Great Hall, and prizes and food from local sponsors will be provided throughout the evening.

Tickets are $5 and are available outside the West Student Office Space of the Memorial Union.

Carleton said festivities throughout the week are not limited to the greek system.

“We want to involve all of the ISU campus in the events,” Carleton said. “We are celebrating ISU, all of its students and its strengths.

“The goal of Greek Week is to bring together the members of greek houses, the students and faculty of ISU and the community in a positive and constructive manner,” he added.

The final and most aggressive event of Greek Week will be the Greek Olympics on April 4.

In Greek Olympics, teams compete in events such as tug-of-war, egg joust, bed races, human-pyramid building and a canoe race in Lake LaVerne.