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Brothers of Phi Beta Epsilon win first annual FSILG&D Community Service Challenge Photo Contest

Students showcase photos of living group's community service work
Phi Beta Epsilon brothers rally together to help create the largest college team for Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Boston. Their 70-member team, 'MIT and Friends,' raised $2,791 — more money than any other local college-based team.
Caption:
Phi Beta Epsilon brothers rally together to help create the largest college team for Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Boston. Their 70-member team, 'MIT and Friends,' raised $2,791 — more money than any other local college-based team.
Credits:
Photo courtesy of the Phi Beta Epsilon fraternity
Phi Kappa Theta fraternity (PKT) hosts a local food drive each year. Together, the brothers raised more than 700 pounds of food for the Greater Boston Food Bank. Brothers canvassed the Back Bay neighborhoods to collect donations.
Caption:
Phi Kappa Theta fraternity (PKT) hosts a local food drive each year. Together, the brothers raised more than 700 pounds of food for the Greater Boston Food Bank. Brothers canvassed the Back Bay neighborhoods to collect donations.
Credits:
Photo courtesy of the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity
Brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon hard at work clearing out the saltwater marsh in Marblehead, Mass.
Caption:
Brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon hard at work clearing out the saltwater marsh in Marblehead, Mass.
Credits:
Photo courtesy of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity
Kappa Alpha Theta sisters pose in front of the Fenway Park field before they begin to pick up recycling during the Red Sox game.
Caption:
Kappa Alpha Theta sisters pose in front of the Fenway Park field before they begin to pick up recycling during the Red Sox game.
Credits:
Photo courtesy of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority
Sisters of Sigma Kappa visited residents at Compass by the Bay — a local Alzheimer's care home. The group played games, had a snack and overall they had a lot of fun.
Caption:
Sisters of Sigma Kappa visited residents at Compass by the Bay — a local Alzheimer's care home. The group played games, had a snack and overall they had a lot of fun.
Credits:
Photo courtesy of the Sigma Kappa sorority

The MIT fraternity Phi Beta Epsilon (PBE) won the community vote for the first annual Fraternities, Sororities, Independent Living Groups and Dorms (FSILG&D) Community Service Challenge Photo Contest. The contest encouraged students to submit photos of their group doing service or supporting philanthropy. Five teams submitted 10 photos for the contest which garnered 674 votes on Facebook.

PBE’s winning photo featured the brothers wearing pink scarves and T-shirts after participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure: Boston, a fundraising event to raise awareness about breast cancer. The 70-member PBE team raised more money for the charity than any other local college-based team. "We are proud to have supported the largest college team in Boston with the participation of every member of our fraternity,” says junior Timothy Galvin. ”We raised $2,791 for the cause, and we look forward to exceeding that next year."

As winner of the photo competition, PBE will get to donate $50 — provided by the Undergraduate Association (UA) Committee on Student Life — to a charity of their choice. Other popular photo submissions included the Kappa Alpha Theta sisters volunteering during the Red Sox game as part of the Green Team at Fenway Park; the Sigma Kappa sisters hanging-out with residents at a local Alzheimer's care home; and the Phi Theta Kappa brothers collecting 700-plus pounds of food for the Greater Boston Food Bank.
The FSILG&D Community Service Challenge is an annual challenge to MIT students to rally around their fraternities, sororities, independent living groups, and dorms to participate in community service and compete for the Service Cup. Teams choose a service theme, engage in local service and participate in alternative spring break projects during the two-month window between Feb. 15 and April 15.

On May 2, 2012, Sigma Alpha Epsilon will find out if they’ve successfully defended their 2011 Service Cup title. The 2012 winning team will secure a $2,000 grant to use toward implementation of a service project in the upcoming year or toward a 2013 alternative spring break trip. Team registration for the 2012 Service Challenge is now open and closes on Feb 6.

Junior Amanda David, FSILG&D programs assistant at the MIT Public Service Center, recently launched a video about the upcoming 2012 Service Challenge. The video gives an overview of what the Service Challenge is, provides some insight from past participants and MIT administrators, and can be used by team leaders to help motivate team member participation. In the video, Marlena Martinez Love, assistant dean and director of the FSILG Office, challenges all fraternities, sororities, independent living groups and dorms to register a team and compete in the 2012 Service Challenge.

The Service Challenge is run by the MIT Public Service Center and is sponsored by the 484 Phi Alpha Foundation, the FSILG office and the UA Committee on Student Life. More information can be found on the MIT Public Service Center website.

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