Cream pie throwing, water gun fights and face painting were just a few of the carnival games that members of a sorority and a fraternity were found playing Sunday with kids at the University of Denver.
While it may not be a typical weekend activity for college students, Beta Theta Pi and Gamma Phi Beta joined forced to throw a fun-filled carnival for kids from the Starlight Children’s Foundation, an organization that provides diversions for children with serious illnesses and their families.
“This is an overwhelming event for me. Just for them to come out and play with the kids and make them feel special,” said Tricia Kilzer, mother of Starlight kid Preston Kilzer, 9, who has been in cancer remission for three years.
John Oberly, 21, is the president of Beta Theta Pi — a fraternity that “re-colonized” last year after being shut down by the university in 2008 — and was the mastermind behind Sunday’s event.
Oberly had not been a part of Greek life on campus until the university and the national Beta Theta Pi fraternity contacted him when he was a sophomore with the proposition of re-opening the DU branch of the fraternity.
“We were looking to redefine what service on campus means,” Oberly said.”We were a little uneasy with ‘flash and bang’ events. Instead, we were looking for a way to have real interactions with people we can really help.”
When they contacted Starlight to ask if they could throw an event, the organization told the college students that these kids often miss their friends’ birthday parties because of hospital visits.
“We partnered with Gamma Phi Beta because we didn’t know what to do with 4-12 year old girls,” Oberly said.
“So, we decided to throw them a giant birthday party,” said Hannah Merten, an event organizer with Gamma Phi Beta sorority.
The carnival resulted in activities ranging from bucket soccer, to finger nail painting, to a cupcake truck.
“The parachute games are money,” Merten said.
Starlight staff was thrilled by the event and said it fit right in with their “Great Escapes” program, which aims to organize fun activities outside of the hospital setting for families.
“I’m just so impressed with these college students’ excitement,” said Katie Keating, Starlight’s development director.
Kristen Leigh Painter: 303-954-1638 or kpainter@denverpost.com
