The Central Michigan University chapters of Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Kappa hosted a Senior Prom at the facility, 1945 Churchill Blvd., to entertain and socialize with residents of the nursing home.

Fraternity brothers, sorority sisters and residents dressed up for the event and mingled at tables set up throughout the main room. Attendees danced to classic and modern hits before residents elected two of their peers as king and queen of the night.

Maplewood residents Marie Krenski and Jack Anson were voted as king and queen and crowned by Homecoming Gold Ambassador and Clarkston senior Meredith Clark. After receiving the crown, Anson kissed his 99-year-old queen on the cheek.

“On behalf of the nursing home, I’d like to thank the sorority and the fraternity for putting this event together because this truly is community service,” Anson said.

Residents Doris Himebaugh and Lucile Moor said they were flattered by the fraternity brothers after they escorted them from their rooms and presented them roses.

“The boys were very nice,” Himebaugh said. “They brought us out to the table and seated us and acted very gentlemanly.”

Both Moor and Himebaugh said CMU students’ continued involvement with the nursing home is appreciated by the residents.

“We always enjoy the students’ company,” Moor said. “They’re always very polite with us and helpful if someone needs assistance.”

Riverview sophomore Dan Milligan, a current pledge of Beta Theta Pi, said he helped plan the event to give back to the Mount Pleasant community and interact with the senior citizens.

“It’s a great way to show that Greek Life is here for Mount Pleasant and CMU as a whole,” Milligan said.

Sigma Kappa member Kali Walther, a Howell senior, said the event was rewarding for members of the sorority to host.Walther said the sorority used to host a senior prom in years past and decided to bring the event back.

“We usually come here every Thursday night to play bingo with the residents, but we thought the prom would be a fun idea to bring back,” Walther said. “It’s always fun for everyone to get dressed up and socialize.”

Daisy, also 5, was recently diagnosed with a rare blood disorder that attacks her right cheek bone, said Crystal Olson, Libby’s mother. She said Daisy needs to go to Lansing every week for chemotherapy.

Olson said she and her daughter started making and selling beaded safety-pin bracelets to raise money for Daisy and her family.

On Tuesday night, the pair got a lot of help making bracelets from about 50 members of Sigma Sigma Sigma at the sorority’s 430 S. Main St. house.

“We’ve sold at least 300,” Olson said. “We’re just excited to be supporting what is an example of true friendship between these girls.”

She said the bracelets are available at Stone Soup Gifts and Accessories, 120 E. Broadway St., for $15 each.

Each bracelet has a outline of a daisy on it. Olson said her and her daughter’s fingers started bleeding from making so many.

The sorority was also joined by Olson’s 12-year-old daughter Emma.

Sigma Sigma Sigma members Novi senior Bryn Smetana, left, Petoskey sophomore Rachel Serafini and Illinois freshman Kim Winzentsen talk as they make safety-pin bracelets Tuesday evening during a fundraiser at the sorority house, 430 S. Main St. “It’s for a good cause and the kids are adorable,” Serafini said. The bracelets, which cost 15 dollars a piece and are available at Stone Soup Gifts and Accessories, 120 E. Broadway St., benefit Daisy Higgins, 5, of Rosebush who was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder this year. (Jeff Smith/Staff Photographer)

Sigma Sigma Sigma made about 30 bracelets, Olson said.

The sorority came up with the idea after member Chloe Fletcher, an Alpena junior, visited Stone Soup and came across the jewelry.

Fletcher said after she saw them, she talked to the owner and was moved to help the cause.

“It’s just a really inspiring story and having Libby and Crystal here is inspiring for us,” she said.

Fletcher said she made four bracelets on Tuesday alone.

Grand Rapids junior Jillian Folkerts said she plans to buy one bracelet for each of her family members for Christmas.

She said Sigma Sigma Sigma has referred the products and cause to several people.

“I can only imagine how much money they’re making off these,” Folkerts said.

Hope Foreman said she is inspired by how Libby wants to help her friend.

“I like how this little girl is so into helping out other people,” the Clarkston freshman said. “It’s really inspiring. A lot of young kids usually don’t have that much inspiration.”

Sorority recruitment’s final stage — jump — where recruits announce which chapter they will join, was held on the football field for the first time. Members of Central Michigan University’s 11 sororities stood in the stands anxiously waiting to hear who they would soon greet as a sister.

For Phi Mu member Taylor Hart, it was a a highlight of recruitment week. It was her first experience with formal recruitment since joining the chapter in the spring.

“I liked how excited all the new girls were to finally go to their sorority,” the Jackson sophomore said, “and how excited the sororities were to get new girls.”

Beverly Hills senior Mary-Kate Kachel hugs a friend after jumping to Delta Zeta Friday at the Sorority Recruitment Jump in Kelly/Shorts Stadium. "I love my Gamma Ki family, but I missed every one of my sorority sisters" Kachel said. (Jeff Smith/Staff Photographer)

The women announced which chapter they were joining and jumped off the stage set up on field. The white-clad recruits were greeted with hugs, cheers and applause as the sororities celebrated the growth of their sisterhoods.

Formal sorority recruitment began Sept. 11 and ran throughout the week.

Birmingham freshman Stephanie Curcuru signed up for recruitment because her mother and sister went Greek during their college years.

She said she wanted to see for herself what it was all about.

“I’m looking forward to getting a taste of Greek life because I’ve never really seen it in it’s full potential,” Curcuru said before starting recruitment.

Recruits met their potential chapters in rooms in Grawn Hall to get to know each other, a change from earlier years when they visited the houses themselves.

“It makes the chapters more equal so people can meet girls for who they are and not for their house,” Hart said.

The new recruits eliminated two houses they would not like to return to the next day and each sorority cut girls. The revisiting and elimination process was continued until girls were left with at most three chapter’s preference parties to attend on Thursday.

Shelby Township junior Nicole Buddle laughs during a performance on stage Friday at the Sorority Recruitment Jump in Kelly/Shorts Stadium. "It's a new beginning" Buddle said. (Jeff Smith/Staff Photographer)

Hart said the preference parties are meant to help potential members get to know the more serious side of each group and what sisterhood is really about.

More than 300 women began the week-long journey to jump, but by the week’s end only about 200 girls joined a sorority.

Curiosity also brought Chardae Whitson to recruitment this fall. The Birmingham senior said she didn’t want to graduate without seeing what it was like from the inside.

While neither ended up jumping, both agreed the experience was amazing.

“I really like how it’s set up so that you can see every house and it’s a mutual choice between sorority and girl whether you go back to that house,” Curcuru said. “I’m glad I went through recruitment. It’s definitely worth it just to know the Greek system better and it’s a great way to meet people and make friends.”

Whitson said her time commitment as president of the High Adventure Club kept her from going Greek. Whitson said she was glad she was able to experience formal recruitment.

“I found the process a little overwhelming at times but it’s definitely worth it if you’re able to find a group that fits you,” Whitson said.

A new two-story house was approved for construction by the Mount Pleasant City Commission last December and completed this summer.

The home is located on the corner of Main Street and High Street and also features a newly finished basement. It contains 12 bedrooms, six bathrooms, a double-kitchen and two laundry rooms.

Essexville junior Meghan Wisniewski is one of the twelve sisters who lives in the house. The upgrade from their original building was met with a large amount of excitement, she said.

“It was old and run down,” Wisniewski said. “It didn’t have enough space for us.”

Former sorority adviser Heather Peasley is very pleased with the house.
“You can’t miss it,” Peasley said. “It is big and beautiful and I love it.”

Phi Mu members St. Louis senior Kelly Shinabargar, left, and Southgate senior Katie Bryne watch a video as Monroe senior Brittany Coxon gets a hug from Cedar Springs sophomore Sam Wysocki Tuesday in the living room of their new house, 802 S. Main St. (Jeff Smith/Staff Photographer)

After many years in the old house, they began looking for an upgrade.

First, landlord Joe Olivieri sent a letter to all of the sororities on campus, asking if any of them would want a new house.

Olivieri owned the set of apartments, which were previously on the plot of land where the new Phi Mu house now stands. He wanted to tear the apartments down and build a house, Wisniewski said.

Phi Mu saw it as the perfect opportunity.

After they decided they wanted to try and get the house, they formed a housing committee. The committee consisted of six Phi Mu members who volunteered because they were interested in the project.

“I was the liaison between the alumni house corporation and our chapter,” Wisniewski said.

Olivieri did all the work regarding the property and building, while the sorority members did the rest of the work.

Phi Mu has big plans for their new big house.

“We’re hoping to have different philanthropy events here,” Wisniewski said. “And also lots of recruitment activities.”

Then, the Lapeer junior made a decision that changed all of that — she decided to go Greek.

Each fall the 11 sororities and 10 fraternities at CMU hold a week of formal recruitment where students hoping to go Greek decide which chapter they wish to pledge to. For Courser, a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, it is a life-changing experience.

“I always have my sisters to fall back on. If I’m stressed out about something I always have someone to talk to — they’re always there for me,” Courser said. “I’m very glad I went Greek.”

Formal recruitment this year will be held Sept. 11‑17. While men and women may be rushing at the same time, the process is still quite different.

Sorority recruitment

Women going through sorority recruitment are placed into a group with a Gamma Chi, a member of Greek Life whose chapter remains anonymous until the last day of the week.

With the Gamma Chi group, ladies will start the week by visiting all 11 chapters and rate which chapters they would and wouldn’t like to visit again. At the same time, each sorority rates the girls based on who they would most like to see back.

“When you join a group, most people think that all of the girls are the same, but every girl is unique in her own way,” said Harper Woods senior Alex Cheolas, president of Phi Sigma Sigma. “I joined because it’s a great way to meet people and you get to experience things you never get to if you’re not Greek.”

Fraternity recruitment

The process for fraternity recruitment is less structured. During formal recruitment week, each fraternity will offer approved events open for any interested male student to attend.

While it is not required for men to look at every fraternity, Alpha Chi Rho president Fred Bartolomei recommends looking at more than one.

“I would recommend they see lots of houses,” the Sterling Heights senior said. “You might like one house, but you might like another house more.”

Following the week of formal recruitment, Bartolomei said most fraternities have a week of informal recruitment where men can continue to get to know the members and decide which house is right for them. At the end of the week, most chapters hand out their bids.

Bartolomei said the best way to find the times and dates of Greek events is through Facebook and flyers. Sign-up for sorority recruitment is available online.

“I get a lot of surprised looks,” Olson said. “I’ve had people tell me ‘no’ before and they just argue with me about how I’m not a bow hunter.”

Olson, a member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, is involved in the archery club at Central Michigan University and is a member of Delta Phi Epsilon sorority.

Since January, Olson has been perfecting the art of bow hunting with the help of her boyfriend, Matt Vader, 20, also from Weidman.

Vader and Olson go to Jake’s Outdoors, 35 W. Remus Road, to practice shooting targets.

“When I first went to shoot, (Vader) explained the basics, but only the person shooting the bow can determine where it’s going to go,” Olson said. “It depends on their style.”

Olson was surprised about how quickly she caught on to shooting the bow. The first time she shot a bow, she got pretty close to the target, she said.

When preparing to shoot, Olson relaxes her whole upper body to insure stability.

It was fun to teach someone else that did not know anything about it, Vader said.

Vader comes from a family of hunters and has been hunting for six years. He began archery four years ago.

On the hunt

Olson’s bow, which weighs about 30 pounds, cost her about $500.

“Mine is specifically made for little kids because it’s so small,” she said. “It is not about being a beginner. It’s about how much you can pull back.”

An average day of hunting for Olson begins before the sun rises.

Olson’s first time hunting this year was on Sept. 18 for the early doe season.

“I was really excited and nervous,” Olson said. “I had a lot of different feelings.”

Olson admitted she sometimes falls asleep while sitting on her bench in a 15-foot high tree in Mecosta, where Vader’s family owns property. When Olson hunts in the evening, she takes homework with her while she waits for deer to come in sight.

Since the archery season began Oct. 1, she has yet to kill a deer. Olson said she would be really excited if she did.

“I’d probably want to jump up and down, but I wouldn’t be able to because I’ll be up in a tree,” she said.

On Nov. 4, Vader killed a deer weighing about 170 pounds, making it his biggest hunt so far.

2009 season

John Niewoonder, a big game specialist from the Department of Natural Resources, said they expect this season to be closely similar to the past few years.

In 2008, there were about 694,000 deer hunters and, of those, 286,508 were archery hunters, he said.

There was a decrease in archery hunters from 2007 to 2008. In 2007, there were 300,254 archery hunters.

“The main reason for the decline in archery hunters was the fact that there was a ban on feeding and baiting the deer in the Lower Peninsula,” Niewoonder said.

It was all part of the annual Central Michigan University sorority jump, an event aspiring and current Greeks were preparing the last week.

Newcomers to the Greek scene were ecstatic. Warren sophomore Rachelle Stawinski and Grand Blanc freshman Andie Dabideen were two of them.

“I feel like I’m starting a new chapter of my life,” Dabideen said.

Stawinski and Dabideen looked into each house, but said they got a different feel from talking with the sisters of Sigma Sigma Sigma, which they declared to become new members of.

“It felt like a home when I walked in,” Stawinski said. “We talked about more than just what we wanted to major in.”

Girls gathered around the stage in Warriner Mall on a gloomy evening, and were unable to do the traditional jump after it was determined the stage was set up too high for it.

Julie Dudderar, a Rockford junior, hugs a potential new member after she chose Phi Sigma Sigma on Sunday evening. (Jake May/Staff Photographer)

None of that seemed to dampen the moods of those in attendance. All 11 campus sororities gathered in front of the Warriner seal and watched as the new Greeks shouted out their choices and donned their new sorority T-shirts.

Waterford freshman Stephanie Siegrist anxiously stood by waiting for her turn. She had spent much of the past several days visiting houses and trying to arrive at a decision.

“I’m really excited, but really stressed out at the same time,” she said.

Afterward, the members took turns dancing on the stage in celebration.

Finally, each sorority made the trek north of campus, on to their new homes.

Assistant Director of Student Life Tom Idema and Clinton Township graduate assistant Elizabeth Doyle took in the event from the side.

The “jump” started as a fraternity tradition and eventually transferred over to the sorority side, Idema said.

Doyle talked about how going Greek offers certain advantages to students, particularly freshmen.

“Put it like this — you’re a freshman, you just came to Central, it’s you’re first semester here,” Doyle said. “Now you have 50 plus sisters who have been at Central… who can mentor you and help you.”

Recruitment begins today for sororities, which will give female students the chance to find out if it is the right fit for them.

Tours of each group, beginning at 6 p.m. today and Thursday at Warriner Mall, will start the recruitment phase. Phi Mu President Stephanie Eidson said each tour is broken down into 40-minute intervals, beginning with house tours.

“We will show them the house and the actives will take them into different rooms. In each room, there is a different theme. They will be learning about our sisterhood, our philanthropy, our academics and learning more about our chapter,” the Rockford senior said.

Recruitment will continue after the tours with a sisterhood event Friday, a philanthropy event Saturday and will finish with ‘Jump’ Sunday.

“Jump is where the potentials literally jump of the stage and run to their sorority,” said Whitney Dubay, a Phi Sigma Sigma member and Essexille senior.

The potential members are offered bids from the sorority they are most compatible with and announce their decision in front of all the sororities at CMU, Dubay said.

Is it for you?

A lot of individuals wonder what is so wonderful about being a part of the Greek community.

Senior Nicki Doherty said being in the Greek community is a fulfilling experience.

“You get to do a lot of networking and get the chance to meet great people,” the Port Huron native said.
Eidson said it is all about the experience for her.

“Going Greek opens a lot of doors of opportunity to people. They are joining an organization where they have things in common with other women who are all working toward a common goal,” Eidson said.

She said it gives students the chance to have different leadership positions in the Greek community.

There is no girl drama and no drunken fighting or girls spreading rumors, said Emily Reynolds, an Alpha Sigma Tau member.

The Beverly Hills junior is entering her fifth semester with the group, one of 11 sororities registered on campus. She said in her time as a sorority, she has not found any of those “movie moments” made popular by “Animal House” and “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder.”

“It’s not like the movies at all. That’s just not Central,” Reynolds said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I once I got to knew some of the girls, I knew it wasn’t like that.

“When I first joined, I felt really nervous. I was a baby little freshman in my first semester, I had no idea what was going on, but I am so happy I did. It’s what got me involved on campus.”

Reynolds was a Leadership Safari guide, and looks to volunteer with Special Olympics Michigan this year, something she credits her Greek lifestyle to helping her achieve.

Alpha Gamma Delta member Sammi Szwak said she joined her sorority because it is a great way to pick up long-lasting friendships.
Szwak wants to warn anyone coming into sorority life for the first time not to listen to what everyone is saying about the sorority or what they have done.

While important, she said, it is more vital to follow your own path.

“Listen to your heart,” said Szwak, a West Bloomfield senior. “Don’t ever join just because someone tells you to. You have to want it. You will know when you are home.

“Some people try to sway you, one way or another. Just because your roommate is a Delta Zeta does not mean you have to be. You can be gung-ho about a number of other groups.”

Some students just know they want to “go Greek.” With about 1,000 Greeks on campus, it is hard not to, said Jenaye Chew, an East Jordan junior.

Chew is a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma and after meeting her future sorority sisters on the first day of recruitment, she did not have a second thought.

“I knew I belonged here,” she said. “This helps shape you into the person you want to be. This has made my college experience.

“I’ll tell you, half of my bridesmaids will be my sorority sisters. This, I know, but I am not getting married anytime soon — that’s just how close we are. I would hand my life over to these girls.”