Ladies and gentlemen, start your blenders.Women and men alike from organizations across campus joined together Thursday for Alpha Delta Pi’s seventh annual Mardi Gras Mocktails Blend-Off philanthropy.
The event, which raises money for the Ronald McDonald House, comprises 20 Greek and non-Greek organizations dressing up as part of a group’s collective theme and making “mocktails” to be judged later in the evening.
Blend-Off gives people an opportunity to reacquaint with old friends they have not seen since their freshmen year, said public relations chair Alana Villegas. Villegas, a senior advertising/public relations and psychology major, said this event is looked upon as a favorite of Greek organizations.
“We’ve been told by most fraternities and sororities that this is the event they look forward to the most,” Villegas said.
This year’s Blend-Off organizations offered people a variety of drinks and themes ranging from Chi Omega’s “1984” theme and its “Mac-Appletini” to Kappa Sigma’s “Nickelodeon” theme featuring its “Gak” drink, and everything in between. In the end, Sigma Phi Epsilon came away the winner, taking home a $1,500 grand prize.
The loose atmosphere and lack of structure to the event is what makes Blend-Off different from other events, junior philanthropy co-chairwoman Audra Kerr said. Kerr, a communication studies major, said next to Zeta Tau Alpha’s Race for the Cure event, Blend-Off is the biggest event conducted by Greek organizations.
Villegas said ADPi is the only sorority on campus that goes off campus each month to do its volunteer work. She said she takes pride knowing the sorority gives people something to smile about.
The event is usually a spirited time had by all, and each organization was scored based on its theme, originality and, of course, the quality of its “mocktail,” co-chairwoman Meghan Leal said.
Leal, a sophomore premajor said although the event is a lot of work, it is worth all the effort once it actually gets under way.
“The actual event is so much fun,” Leal said. “It’s such a great feeling once you accomplish it that it makes it so much fun during the event.
