This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the members of Gamma Phi Beta will host their fourth annual “Spring Swing” softball tournament. This is a daylong softball tournament benefiting Camp Fire USA.
Camp Fire USA is one of the nation’s leading, non-profit youth development organizations. It provides educational programs in hundreds of communities across the United States. As part of Gamma Phi Beta’s local commitment, they work year round to raise funds for the local Texas council of Camp Fire USA, and to help those who could not otherwise afford to attend camp.
Gamma Phi’s Philanthropy chair, Karina Garrett, is eagerly awaiting Saturday’s event. “We are all so excited! We currently have 10 teams registered, but are still receiving registration forms. There is a men and women’s bracket during the tournament and there will be a champion of each at the end of the day. The number of games a team plays depends on the team; the more they win the more they play,” Garrett said.
Garrett and her fellow Gamma Phi sisters have spent weeks planning the tournament to draw in the entire SMU community. “The biggest thing we’ve done is secure a Mercedes C230 to be at our event. We’re giving away a Porsche for a weekend and dinner for two at Smith & Wollensky as our grand prize,” Garrett said. The trunk of the Porsche will be filled with Cracker Jack boxes, and contestants will have to guess the number of boxes. The person who is closest to the actual number will win the grand prize.“We have activities for everyone…this is not just an event for softball players! We’ve incorporated a lot of new ideas this year and our primary goal is to have fun with our participants while raising money for a great cause,” Gamma Phi Beta President Taylor Estes said.
There will also be a raffle for prizes donated by local businesses. Prizes include donations from Flash, McCartney’s, Toni & Guy, local restaurants and many more. Besides the softball game, there will also be a dunk tank, slip and slide and a fastest pitch area to determine which girl and guy can throw the fastest.
“The best part about planning this event was that the people in charge were very passionate about our cause. The excitement has been transferred to practically every member in our sorority. Everyone is excited to see how much money we can raise for Campfire USA, and we look forward to see what Saturday has in store for us,” Estes said.
The tournament will be held at the intramural fields beginning at 10 a.m. The other events and “Porsche for a weekend” giveaway will begin at 11. The women’s championship game will be played at 2 p.m. and the winner of the “ Porsche for a weekend” will be announced. At 3 p.m. the men’s championship game will start, and all activities will conclude at 4 p.m.
The members of Gamma Phi Beta invite everyone out to their softball tournament where you will also have a chance to attend their benefit concert that evening featuring Hollington Drive. ”We’re eagerly anticipating spending a gorgeous Saturday with our sisters and supporters. We hope to see you out there,” Estes said.
