Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) is setting out to raise money for Repair the World at its eighth annual LatkeFest at Hillel, Kent State’s Jewish community center on campus, Thursday afternoon.

LatkeFest is an extensive, all-you-can-eat latke, a potato pancake, event where members of the Greek life community volunteer to make latkes.

“These are the best potato pancakes you will ever eat,” said Terry Hugo, a senior business management and AEPi LatkeFest chair. “I had never had a potato pancake before I went to Kent (State), and then I did LatkeFest for the first time. It’s the most amazing experience if you go, I promise.”

The event will be $8 pre-sale and $13 at the door. In addition to the “all-you-can-eat” event itself, there will be a raffle and an all you can eat contest as well.

“It’s a pretty extensive event, (and) it has grown a lot,” Hugo said. “This is its eighth year, and I have been there for five out of eight of those years, so it’s pretty crazy to see how much it’s changed and molded and really grown.”

Last year, there were 446 people at the event. AEPi was able to raise $9,300 before expenses. This year, the fraternity hopes to beat its attendance record to raise $10,000.

“(AEPi) believe(s) in the Jewish idea of ‘tikkun olam,’ which means to repair the world, which is what our fund is called,” Hugo said.

All of the proceeds from the event, as well as those from the other AEPi chapters, will go toward the Repair the World Fund, which benefits 10 different organizations. The fraternity tries not to do the same ten organizations each time and attempts to switch it up in order to benefit several organizations.

“We really try and go for that idea of ‘tikkun olam’ to repair the world, so that’s why we give back to everyone and not just one local organization or charity,” Hugo said.

Brittney Prather is the Greek life reporter, contact her at [email protected].