By BRIANA ARRINGTON

bca008@latech.edu

 

Lollipops and Texas Hold ‘Em have something in common thanks to Sigma Kappa. The sorority is using both to help raise money for Alzheimer’s disease.

“Alzheimer’s has always been one of the Sigma Kappa’s national philanthropies,” Beth Davis, chairman of fundraising and national philanthropies for Sigma Kappa, said.

Last week, members of Sigma Kappa set up a booth to sell lollipops for $1 each in the Student Center.

Davis, also a senior education major, said the national Sigma Kappa headquarters sends them 2,000 lollipops a year. The lollipops are sold to the students twice a year, once in the fall and once in spring.

Also in the fall, Sigma Kappa sells “Mind Strong” bracelets, which are ordered from http://www.findthecure.org, the same Web site founded for Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.

“I think the students have been generous so far,” Candace Jones, a Sigma Kappa and junior speech major, said. “We’ve had many students come and just donate $5 or $10 because their grandparents have suffered from Alzheimer’s.”

In the past, Sigma Kappa has held a Memory Walk as a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s. Davis said the Sigma Kappas are trying something new this year.

“We will be having our first Texas Hold ‘Em tournament this year to raise more money for Alzheimer’s on November 8,” she said.

Davis said the tournament will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Norton Building, located on W. Mississippi Street in downtown Ruston. They have not figured out all of the details yet, but the buy-in for each player will be $10. Walk-ins are welcome, but Davis said she encourages students to sign up before the tournament in the Student Center.

“All of the money from the player’s buy-ins will go to research for Alzheimer’s,” Davis said. “But there will be prizes provided for the winners which we are trying to get donated right now.”

Christopher Oubre, a graduate student of psychology, is looking forward to competing in the tournament and said other students should do the same.

“I think it’s great what the Sigma Kappas are doing for Alzheimer’s,” Oubre said. “My grandfather passed away because of it last year, and I have several friends who have been through the same thing. It is a terrible disease to watch a loved one go through. So if there is anything students could do to help, I think they should.”

For more information about entering the Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, or to donate to research for Alzheimer’s disease, contact Davis, at 470-6984.