A group of Alpha Phi sorority members are pied at the Grand Slam home run derby charity event for the American Heart Association Saturday morning. Tracy Tucholski | Daily Kent Stater

Credit: Ron Soltys

It was all fun and games for a good cause for Alpha Phi Saturday morning.

The sorority held its annual Grand Slam home run derby philanthropy to raise money for the American Heart Association, an Alpha Phi Foundation.

Sorority members wore shirts that read “Strike Out Heart Disease, Grand Slam ’07” at the new event the sorority is trying to build.

Other fundraiser events of the day included a longest throw contest, Pie-a-Phi and a Mr. Alpha Phi competition. Alpha Phi accepted donations and people paid to pie different members of the sorority.

Kaylee Hills, junior marketing major and Alpha Phi vice president of recruitment, said the sorority did many different things to organize the event.

“We collected donations from local businesses for door prizes and for money to send to our foundation,” Hills said. “I also made packets and hand-delivered them to chapter presidents.”

Nine fraternities and two other sororities participated in the event.

“That’s what fraternities and sororities do — we participate in each others’ events,” said Gary Chaney, senior exercise, leisure and sport major and Sigma Phi Epsilon member.

Hills said everyone who came participated.

Alpha Phi’s goal was to send a $400 check to the American Heart Association.

The sorority has five different parts to its philanthropy — scholarship, emergency aid, Forget-Me-Not alumnae fund, cardiac care and leadership. The Grand Slam is a part of what the sorority does to give back, Hills said.

Another charity event Alpha Phi sponsors is the Red Dress Gala, which takes place in February. The event consists of a ball, silent auction and fashion show, Hills said. Alpha Phi receives donations from organizations, and all the money raised also goes to the American Heart Association.

“It pays off and it’s nice to give back,” Hills said. “Heart disease is the number one killer of women, and we want people to know that.”

Contact Greek life reporter Tracy Tucholski at [email protected].