Sorority cooks burgers to raise money for children at “CASA Cook-Off”

Students Janie Carr and Lia Perez pose for a picture as CASA Cook-Off on March 31, 2023. (Ryan Thorpe/Staff Writer)

By Ryan Thorpe, Staff Writer
Published Apr 13, 2023

On March 31, the smell of grilled meat wafted through the Campus Commons as students, some with faces covered with whipped cream, lined up for burgers as part of Kappa Alpha Theta’s annual cookout.

 

Sophomore kinesiology major Jaci Budreck after getting pied at CASA Cook-Off, March 31, 2023. Pies are sold for $3 to raise money for CASA of Tarrant County. (Ryan Thorpe/Staff Writer)

The cookout raised money for CASA of Tarrant County, a volunteer organization that ensures children in the foster care system have an adult advocating for them. 

“The money we raise goes to training these volunteers for court to help the children find a forever family,” sophomore early childhood education major and Kappa Alpha Theta vice president of external affairs, Clare Lucewicz, said.

Lucewicz also said that CASA Cook-Off is returning as an annual event, as COVID-19 spoiled the attempts following its inaugural year in 2018.

“CASA Cook-Off is a great way to get the TCU community involved and to have fun while raising money for a good cause,” Megan Wisenauer, sophomore nursing major and Kappa Alpha Theta fundraising director, said.

 

Students Stephanie McCarthy, Colin Eich and Colby Bozarth smiling for a photo at CASA Cook-Off, March 31, 2023. (Ryan Thorpe/Staff Writer)

Behind each grill was a team of chefs from several interfraternity council fraternities in hand-painted aprons from Kappa Alpha Theta members. Each team was excited and riled, looking to gain the most customers for the grand prize given to the winning team.

Three chefs from Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) during CASA Cook-Off, March 31, 2023. (Ryan Thorpe/Staff Writer)
The Beta Theta Pi team of chefs during CASA Cook-Off, March 31, 2023. (Ryan Thorpe/Staff Writer)

Teams were formed from members of Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta, Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Phi Gamma Delta. A seventh team composed of TCU football players was also thrown into the mix.

“Each winning team member received a $50 Visa gift card,” Wisenauer said. “The executive team will usually judge, but this year we’re turning it over to the rest of the TCU community. They’ll give their ticket to whoever cooked the best burger and the team with the most tickets wins.”

Shouts of men wanting the customers to choose their burgers combined with upbeat music filled the air as customers buzzed around the commons to try the different burgers.

“I thought it would be fun,” a sophomore business major and chef for Beta Theta Pi Tanner Penman said. “Making burgers and having a good time is great, but especially when it’s for a good cause.”

Lucewicz said over $52,000 was raised for CASA of Tarrant County this year from the event. This is added to last year’s donation of $47,327.