It is a tale for the Albion College record books. Greek life pitted against professors pitted against students in a week-long fight for supremacy and honor. Fortunately, the competition had a much nobler purpose than would initially appear — raising money for Flint’s children.
By donating at least one dollar to the Flint Child Health and Development Fund, greek life, faculty and staff and independants competed against each other in an effort to raise the most money. If Greek life lost, 100 hours of community service would be donated to the project of the winners’ choosings.
Put on by the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and the Panhellenic Council, Brits Fight for Flint was marked as a success. From February 23 to March 1, Greek life — the winners — had 178 participants donate $220.89, faculty and staff had 14 participants donate $55.37 and independents had 11 participants donate $18.01, nearly $300 in total.
The fundraiser first came to fruition when Dr. Dominick Quinney of the Ethnic Studies Department approached Chel-C Ford (‘18) and Lucas Scott (‘18) about creating an effort addressing Flint’s water crisis.
Scott just joined the IFC as its Vice President of Community Engagement. However, he took the challenge head-on. “As soon as I was tossed in, I quickly grabbed the bull by the horns,” he said. “It’s a big deal. I love to try to help those people down in Flint,” he added.
Water bottle donations have lined the streets of Flint, aiding little in assuaging the health issues that have ravaged Flint for the past three years due to unsafe water. This was why Brits Fight for Flint chose the Flint Child Health and Development Fund, which provides education, student support, a safe environment and pediatric and healthy food access to children. Getting groceries and fixing pipes, Scott said, is what Flint needs now, not sending water bottles.
To expand its scale past Albion’s campus, Brits Fight for Flint signed off March 1 with a four hour letter-writing campaign in Norris 101. As Quinney spoke on Flint’s need for Albion’s help, students filled out letters to friends and relatives, asking them to take part in the cause. Despite the snow, scores of people attended.
Scott was grateful for the fundraiser’s success. “I would like to say thank you to all the supporters that came out and participated,” he said, “and I would like to thank Dr. Quinney for helping us put this on.”
Photo by Beau Brockett Jr.
Another way to help Flint besides throwing money at people (though that’s really just about the only thing Greek life is good for, so good for them for realizing that)? POLITICAL ACTION. Hold those responsible for this mess accountable, and then take steps to make sure this shit doesn’t keep happening.