On November 16th, the North Carolina Beta Chapter helped execute the 6th annual Eve Carson Memorial 5k for Education in partnership with Pi Beta Phi Sorority. This event was established in Eve’s name after the former student body president’s tragic death in 2008 and raises money for the Eve Carson Memorial Scholarship, a merit award given to outstanding, involved juniors at UNC. Brothers worked for nearly two months before the race to recruit participants, set up sponsored fundraising events at local restaurants, and organize partnerships with businesses that donated refreshments and goods such as runners’ bags. This collective effort resulted in one of the single most successful philanthropy events in UNC’s rich history, registering 1,653 runners and raising $69,464 in total revenue. This year’s race boasted the most runners and total money raised since the inaugural event which immediately followed Eve’s passing. $56,541 in total contributions were reported after deducting operational costs. This poignant initiative and continuously growing philanthropy function is a point of pride for the North Carolina Beta Chapter, and another successful year further establishes it as a premier cause at UNC-Chapel Hill.

North Carolina Beta was also fortunate enough to secure a $15,000 grant from the Triad Foundation in mid-October as the new member process was coming to a close. In an effort to further improve the new member program and bring Phikeia together with active brothers, a group of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors worked together to research local organizations in need of funding. A core group of new members helped spearhead the outreach and solidify partnerships with the Boys and Girls Club, Chapel Hill Police Department, SECU Family House. On Wednesday, October 23rd, a group of brothers and new members went to each organization to formally present each with its portion of the grant. The Boys and Girls Club received $5,000 for renovations; the SECU House was given new recliners to accommodate liver transplant and cancer patients, and the Police Department got an EZ Child Identification System. North Carolina Beta looks forward to continuing these partnerships through monetary and labor contributions in the future.