The 15 Webster Avenue Award, a $2,000 grant given to the Coed, Fraternity and Sorority organization that submits a successful proposal for community service, will be presented to Delta Gamma sorority at a ceremony today held at Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority.
"We're very honored we were selected, and we can't wait to start our work with Operation Insulation," said Corey Fleming '95, DG president
The 15 Webster Avenue Fund is an endowment established by the alumni of Tau Epsilon Phi, Delta Psi Delta and the Harold Parmington Foundation, former residents of 15 Webster.
The goal of the endowment is to support and encourage community service projects performed by Dartmouth's CFS organizations, according to a letter to presidents and program chairs of Greek houses from CFS President Chris Donley '95 and Assistant Dean of Residential Life Deb Reinders late last month.
This year five of the College's 27 Greek organizations submitted written proposals to the 15 Webster Avenue Project.
Delta Delta Delta sorority,DG, Sigma Nu fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity amd Theta all submitted proposals, Donley said.
"Philanthropy has always been a part of the CFS experience," Donley said.
Operation Insulation (OI), a Tucker-affiliated group that works to insulate community homes against the harsh New Hampshire winters, was Delta Gamma's winning proposal.
"Due to their limited manpower, OI cannot afford to insulate even close to the amount of homes that need it each year," said DG's proposal to the 15 Webster Avenue selection committee. "If people could insulate their own homes the problem would be solved, however, they lack the tools and the skills necessary."
The proposal also stated that DG would use the funds to buy tools for a "tool library," whereby "community residents could rent the tools they needed and attend workshops by OI members to learn the secrets of insulation."
Emmie Jones '95, president of Tri-Delt, said her house does philanthropy work for the same reason any person does it.
"In general, a good reason for a Greek organization to become involved in community service is the same reason that any individual becomes involved in community service." Jones said. "It just happens that we have a group of 130 members."
The proposals were evaluated based upon the impact of the suggested activity on the community, the feasibility of the project, and the level of participation in the organization which presented the proposal, according to the letter.
The CFS organization thatsubmits the best proposal is awarded $2,000 to use toward its suggested community service activity, the letter stated.
The project is to be completed within a year and all extra money is to be returned to the fund according to the letter.
The letter stated that once the project is completed, the Greek organization will present a report to a committee including the CFS president, a member of each CFS sub-council, the Dean of Residential Life, the Assistant Dean of Residential Life and a member of the CFS Advisory Group.
This project was first instituted last year, said Matt Riley '95, a member of Sigma Nu.
"I think that the 15Webster Avenue Project is really a way Dartmouth and Dartmouth students use their enormous resources to help a community in need," Riley said.
Tri-Delt and Sig Ep were awarded the first $2,000 grant, which they used to buy computers for West Fairlee Elementary school, Donley said.
"The 15 Webster Avenue Award is good in that it recognizes some houses or a house which does good for the community," Jones said.
"Greek Houses have recently been getting a really bad image in terms of hazing and alcohol abuse," said Doug Kirsch '95, who is in charge of philanthropy for Sig Ep. "Rarely do you see them getting positive recognition for the many community service activities they do, and now they can get funding as well through the 15 Webster Avenue Project."
