Members of University fraternities and sororities played games with patients at the UNM Children's Hospital Tuesday and Wednesday as part of their annual Greek Week activities.
The Greek community has a goal of raising $10,000 in donations for the hospital through its fund-raising events this week.
Anna Marie Baca is the outgoing president of Kappa Kappa Gamma and Greek Week co-chairwoman. She said the event, which began with a guest speaker and ends with the annual Greek games and banquet Saturday, is a time for sororities and fraternities to compete against each other while working together to benefit a charity. This year, they will be raising money for the UNM Children's Hospital.
"We wanted to incorporate the Albuquerque community and decided to pick a philanthropy where we could have some hands on experience," Baca said.
Last year campus sororities and fraternities raised $9,500 for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatrics AIDS Foundation during Greek Week. Daniel Archuleta, a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and co-chairman of the event, said most donations are collected from the sale of toy bears and Hershey kisses or from personal donations.
Members of each house arrived at the hospital Tuesday and Wednesday to help staff and play with children.
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Jena Marquez, Mike Padilla, and Nicole Griego, members of Chi Omega, Phi Delta Theta and Kappa Kappa Gamma, respectively, are this year's philanthropy chairpersons.
"We have been able to play with the children games like chess and checkers and with clay," Marquez said.
On Tuesday, 40 members from different houses came to the hospital and each was given a tour and a job.
"We have done everything from coloring to cleaning," Griego said.
Mike Fenneman and Phillip Garcia, both members of Phi Delta Theta, spent their Wednesday morning shift at the hospital making medical awareness bags for young patients. The bags contained medical supplies the children could play with such as surgical masks, hairnets, tongue depressors and other items.
Garcia said the bags were intended to get the children used to things around a hospital so they wouldn't be afraid of the doctors or nurses. Fenneman said that his time at the hospital was fun and that he intended to take a goody bag home with him.
Marquez said many of the kids who stay at the hospital for long periods of time are in isolation due to the flu and cold season around the community. Many of those volunteering visit with the children in outpatient care who stop in for check ups and appointments.
Griego said that volunteering has been a very rewarding experience because the group has been able to see where their hard work and donations go.
Padilla also agreed and said the best part of this week was the children.
"Just to see the kids' reactions is the best thing for me," he said.
On Friday, each fraternity and sorority will participate in the annual Greek Sing competition in Woodward Hall at 7 p.m.
During the event, Greek members will perform skits with a variety of film and popular culture themes. It is open to the community, and admission is $3 with a donation, such as children's toys and fun bandages, or $4 without a donation.
