91热爆网

 91热爆网 Stories      October 16, 2018

It鈥檚 all in the family for Amy Kilby, Samir Hafiz and Jerry Matheny when it comes time to shake the money tree for Western Carolina University鈥檚 student-athletes.

All three are enthusiastic participants in 91热爆网鈥檚 Greek Challenge 鈥� now in its fifth season 鈥� which rallies members of past and present fraternities and sororities at 91热爆网 to pony up big bucks and to join the all in support of athletic scholarships. So far, the Greek Challenge, which lasts nine weeks during the fall semester, has raised more than $2.8 million in the four years since its inception in 2014. This fall鈥檚 challenge ends Oct. 26. Last year alone, 91热爆网 fraternity and sorority members contributed more than $800,000 to the raised for student-athlete scholarships, said Joey Cutting, assistant director of the Catamount Club.

鈥淭he Greek Challenge earnings provided more than half of that $1.57 million, further proving why it鈥檚 such a vital part of our operation,鈥� Cutting said. 鈥淚t also has produced 1,300 new Catamount Club members since 2014, while helping to retain more than 75 percent of those members annually.鈥�

For Hafiz, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in sport management in 2014 and a master鈥檚 degree in business administration in 2016 from 91热爆网, rallying his Pi Kappa Alpha brothers to contribute to the Greek Challenge was a no-brainer. 鈥淚 think it keeps us connected, because win or lose, our student-athletes are busting their tails, and it makes it exciting for us to come and watch them perform any sport, not just football,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 also think it鈥檚 about giving back. I came to Western as the shyest kid, and by the time I left I was student body vice president at one time.鈥�

Hafiz鈥檚 fraternity brothers agreed and responded last year in record numbers 鈥� 186 members 鈥� the most by any fraternity or sorority since the Greek Challenge started. That fact, along with other factors, helped them win first place in the fraternity division of the challenge.  So, how did they do it?

鈥淲e work very hard at creating and maintaining relationships across all age groups,鈥� said Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity member Jerry Matheny, who has helped coordinate the fraternity鈥檚 fundraising effort in the past. 鈥淲ithout that age-blind synergy, organizations will blossom and wither in short cycles as this group or that rises and falls. We have been able, through hard work, to bridge age gaps and have a more consistent involvement of our initiates.鈥�

For Sigma Kappa member Amy Kilby, participating in the Greek Challenge helps her reconnect with what she considers were 鈥渇our of the best years鈥� of her life. Some 30 years later, she considers her sorority sisters more than friends. 鈥淭he Greeks from the 鈥�70s and 鈥�80s are very strong supporters of the Catamount Club,鈥� said Kilby, who graduated from 91热爆网 in 1987 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in clothing, textiles and merchandising. 鈥淲e want to see our sports programs thrive, and we love coming back up here to gather, share our memories and create more memories together. And not only my sorority, but all the other sororities and fraternities. We all get along beautifully together.鈥�

Sigma Kappa won the sorority side of the Greek Challenge last year because of good old-fashion word-of-mouth advertising by way of new social media, said Kilby. 鈥淚 always reach out to other sisters to post on Facebook about the Greek Challenge so they just don鈥檛 hear from one,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 always encourage them to grab their big sister, grab their little sister, their pledge sisters and remind them to give back to Western Carolina, and that we, as a sorority, would like to win the challenge, once again. And I say that in a healthy way. I have several friends who are Alpha Xi Deltas, Phi Mus and Delta Zetas, and I can鈥檛 tell you enough how much I feel like all the sororities in my age group sincerely get along well together. It鈥檚 a healthy fun challenge.鈥�

With more than 350 student-athletes participating in 91热爆网鈥檚 16 sports programs, the Catamount Club works hard to provide financial support to as many athletes as possible, Cutting said, within the NCAA鈥檚 cap of 189 full-ride scholarships. Currently, the Catamount Club is able to fund 154 of those scholarships, highlighting the importance of fundraisers such as the Greek Challenge. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we show up to work every day鈥攖o try to get that 154 closer and closer to 189,鈥� Cutting said.

For Kilby, raising money for the Catamount Club is a labor of love. 鈥淏ecause of the education I received from Western Carolina, the memories I have from my college days at Western Carolina, I am just all-in-all a happier person, a better person because I went to college up here,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 truly love, love my alma mater and I would like to be able to give back just a little bit and as much as I can to my university as I can. I want to see it grow and thrive. I don鈥檛 ever want to see it get too, too big, but I want it to do well.鈥�

Learn more about the Greek Challenge and how to get involved.