The largest spring philanthropy event at Kent State, Delta Zeta’s Lip Sync, raised $44,000 for charity Saturday night.

A total of 23 Greek life chapters performed original skits to a crowd of over 900 people on the Student Center Ballroom stage. Each group had to incorporate lip-syncing, sign language and facts about Delta Zeta into their routines.

This year’s Lip Sync chair, senior hospitality management major Brianna Jenkins, said she was completely shocked with the amount they raised.

“Reading the total was easily my favorite part of the night,” she said. “I had no idea what the total was until I opened up the envelope on stage and it was really cool and emotional seeing all of the 900 people go crazy when I got that number out.”

Delta Zeta’s president, junior communications studies major Taylor Winter, said the increase in the money they have raised each year is crazy to her.

“Being on stage and looking out to the community just gives me goose bumps and it’s such a humbling thing,” she said. “We watched a video from the past and the Lip Sync event raised a little over $900 and now it’s just insane how much we’re raising.”

Other students said they couldn’t wait to start working on things for next year.

“I didn’t know what to expect being new to all of this,” said freshman pre-fashion design and merchandising major Bethany Vargo. “I just love seeing all of the hard work pay off. Hearing that number and having all of your sisters right there to cherish that moment with was just perfect.”

Jenkins said that the Kent State chapter raises the most money out of any Delta Zeta chapter in the country.

“I don’t know why people put so much time and effort into Lip Sync,” she said. “It amazes me that we can all get together and put so much time into something and have such an incredible outcome. I never would of thought as a freshman that in my senior year I would be apart of something that raises $44,000 it’s just crazy.”

Winter said that the Greek community works very hard and dedicates a lot of time to Lip Sync.

“Seeing everybody’s passion in each skit, scene and performance is something I’ll always remember,” she said. “It blows my mind every year how much work everyone puts into this and they raise so much money for us and I don’t know why it happens but we’re so grateful.”

For more information on Delta Zeta visit their website: http://www.kentpanhellenic.com/Chapters/Delta%20Zeta.html

Contact Justin Graci at [email protected].