Alpha Tau Omega sought to combat the “National Lampoon” vision of a fraternity as a group of stuck-up individuals who pop their collars and drink beer by hosting its fourth-annual Casino Night.
“People don’t realize that running and participating in both philanthropic and community service events are an essential part of the greek community, especially here at Ohio State and among those in Alpha Tau Omega,” said Sam Toth, a junior in communication.
Alpha Tau Omega’s alcohol-free event, held Thursday at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion, featured members of the fraternity, friends and local businesses “going all in” at the poker table to support the Tressel Family Fund for Cancer Prevention Research at OSU’s James Cancer Hospital.
Both OSU football coach Jim Tressel and his older brother, running backs coach Dick Tressel, were members of Alpha Tau Omega at Baldwin-Wallace College.
“Casino Night (was) a great opportunity for everyone – all students, staff and anyone in the Columbus area – to enjoy a classy, sober event that happens to be a blast and raise money for a great cause,” Toth said. “I think that it shows that there is a lot more a fraternity can contribute to a community than what one might see in ‘Animal House.'”
The event has generated more than $25,000 for the fund in its last three years. In 2008, festivities moved from campus to the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion with the intent of offering a better venue accessible to the Columbus community.
Donations and proceeds from ticket sales are still being calculated, but Casino Night chair Mark Vickers said so far it looks as though the fraternity will be able to donate between $5,000 and $10,000 to the fund.
Vickers and fraternity member Dave Gorton said both the attendance of Jim Tressel and the elegant atmosphere of the event contributed to its success.
“Fraternity members served as card dealers, and all wore tuxedos in order to promote a classy atmosphere,” said Gorton, a senior in English. “There (was) also a magician performing tricks during the event.”
Meanwhile, more than 500 people in attendance played blackjack and other casino-style games with an allotted amount of fake money. At the end of the night, everyone turned in their “winnings” and claimed raffle tickets.
The tickets were used to win a variety of prizes, including restaurant gift certificates, all-expense paid trips to the Hamptons and Florida Keys, all-access passes to the Muirfield Memorial Golf Tournament, spa packages and an autographed jersey and signed football from two-time Heisman trophy winner and OSU alum Archie Griffin.
Collecting these prizes did not come without work, however.
“Over the past six months, we had to create a portfolio and send it to companies to give them a briefing of the event,” said Vickers, a senior in real estate and urban analysis. “We then gave a proposal to each business and asked them what they would be willing to donate and what prizes they would be willing to sponsor. It worked well.”
Major sponsors included the Parker Hannifin Corporation, Ulmer & Berne LLP law firm, Raising Cane’s, Little Bar and Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar.
According to the OSU Medical Center Web site, the Tressel Family Fund represents the Tressels’ commitment to family, health and wellness and serves to further cancer research, treatment and prevention. To find out how to make a gift to the fund, e-mail Cynthia Anderson at [email protected].
Uchechi Amadi can be reached at [email protected].
