Elon students fall for kids at YMCA
fall festival
Martha-Page Ransdell / Reporter
Members of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority volunteered at the
annual Burlington YMCA Fall Festival on Oct. 21 as a way to
get more involved in the Burlington community.
"We've always enjoyed doing this," said junior
Sarah Dollard.
"Sometimes we feel like we don't really connect
with the Burlington community, so we wanted to do something
that allows us to reach out to other people in the
area."
Dollard estimates 80 percent of the AOII chapter
participated in the festival. While the members of AOII did
not have to help in the planning stages of the festival, they
volunteered from 5 to 9 p.m by helping out with games, food
and other activities.
"We can get our four mandatory volunteer hours tonight
from this one event, so it works out great, but it's
really a lot of fun," junior Meagan Root said.
"These kids look up to us, so it's important for us
to be here."
For some members of AOII, volunteering at the Fall Festival
is a way to not only earn service hours, but also to help
promote a more positive image of Greek Life at Elon.
"By volunteering at the festival, we are getting our
name out there in the community, and hopefully breaking some
of those sorority stereotypes," junior Ashley Krueger
said.
Many parents, accompanying their children to the festival,
seemed pleased with the activities and games set up for the
kids.
"I think it's great to have the sorority girls out
here helping tonight," said Keri Key, who was at the
festival with her two-year-old daughter, Dylann. "This
is our first time at the festival, but we're having a
good time."
One highlight of the event was the pumpkin painting station.
Safety concerns kept the children from carving the more than
40 pumpkins donated to the YMCA.
In addition to various carnival games set up across the gym,
the Burlington Police Department was also on hand, talking to
children and passing out goody bags to promote Halloween
safety.
Andy Sharpe, director of family and youth services at the
Burlington YMCA, estimated about 400 people would attend the
festival, but was surprised by how many people actually
showed up.
The festival, which has been held for the past six years, is
a free community family event sponsored by the YMCA.
"This festival is a way to get families who are not
already YMCA members associated with the Y, and to tell them
what we're about," said Sharpe.
Contact Martha-Page Randsell at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247.
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Anna Tolner / Photographer