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Sorry, I don't want to be annoying, but what's Derby Days? We don't have that here, but I'm trying to find out about stuff that Greeks do together, for unity purposes---we don't really have a greek week, either, I don't think, or at least if it's in the spring we didn't have it last year b/c I was part of the sorority then and didn't hear a thing about it. Thanks for all the help, just curious!

Sigma Chi puts on Derby Days. I'm sure it varies from campus to campus, but on my campus it was the philanthropy event to raise money for their respective philanthropy.

it's a weeklong philanthropy hosted by Sigma Chi.

the activities include (but are not exlusive of): clothing drives, barbeque, 24 hour swing, scavenger hunt (i think!), and it ends with a skit night where all the sororities try to outdo one another.

that's how it works on my campus - although if you don't have a EX, someone else could take it upon themselves to do a week-long philanthropic event.

Sigma Chi Derby Days

Note: I previously posted on another thread. I've made slight edits for this particular thread to keep pertinent to the topic.

Quote:

Not all Sigma Chi chapters have Derby Days and for various reasons. A chapter may be "too small" to put on the events. Or if a chapter is on social probation, either by the school or by HQ, they might not be able to host Derby Days.

However, most chapters do try to have some sort of Derby Days.

Derby Days vary campus to campus. Some Derby Days may be for sorority pledges (new members) and usually held during the autumn semester. Other Derby Days may be for the full sorority and as such, could be held in either the autumn or spring. Usually depends on other Greek activities on that campus.

===
From the Sigma Chi 2001 Derby Day Manual

MISSION

The mission of Derby Days is easily stated: to serve the community. Since the birth of our Fraternity, Sigma Chis have endeavored to give back to our world. Because Derby Days affords each chapter the unique opportunity to positively impact the community, it has been the most publicized and visible way for chapters to serve others. Thus, it is imperative that the actions of each brother reflect our true goal. Let the mission of Derby Days — serving the community — provide the foundation for each event and govern your every action before, during, and following Derby Days.

HISTORY

The tradition of Sigma Chi’s Derby Days began in the spring of 1933 at the Alpha Beta chapter at the University of California-Berkeley, under the name “Channingway Derby.” Located on Channing Way, the Alpha Beta Sigma Chis sponsored an event composed of a series of humorous skits. In fact, one publication later cited the Channingway Derby as “California’s most amusing tradition.”

In the spring of 1935, after receiving reports of the Channingway Derby, Beta Sigma chapter at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville made plans for a similar event. But instead of presenting skits, the event was planned around an all-day track and field competition between the pledge classes of the nine sororities at Tennessee. More than 1,000 people were in attendance on the big day, November 1, 1935, to witness the first Derby involving campus sororities.

Coincidentally, on that day four Sigs from Delta chapter at the University of Georgia were visiting Knoxville and witnessed the festivities. The brothers took the idea back to their campus and named their production “Sigma Chi Derby,” which seems to have stuck.

During the 1960s, Derby began to take on the philanthropic approach for which it is now known on many campuses. After the Cleo Wallace Center became Sigma Chi’s Fraternity-wide service project in 1967, many chapters began using Derby as a fundraising event for the Center. Although some amount of charitable work had been done through Derby and similar events prior to that time, the Wallace Center project gave a much-needed boost to the concept of doing something for a needy group outside of campus.

At the 1992 Leadership Training Workshop, the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) was introduced as Sigma Chi’s suggested beneficiary of proceeds from chapter community service projects. The CMN, an alliance of 165 hospitals and health care facilities across the United States and Canada, generates funds for the children its associated hospitals serve. Seventy percent of the Fraternity’s active chapters and many alumni chapters are located in the same city or within an hour’s drive of one or more Network hospitals.

TODAY

Today, Sigma Chi Derby events are held to assist a number of charitable causes, some allocating a percentage of the proceeds to a local philanthropy and part to the Children’s Miracle Network. Since Sigma Chi began raising money for charitable causes, the Fraternity has raised well over $2 million for these groups. During the 1999-2000 year, Sigma Chi chapters donated over $600,000 to CMN hospitals.

Very nice! Good for Sigma Chi!

-Rudey

KUDDOS to Sigma Chi.

Derby Days are the most well know charity event in the Greek World.:cool:

Question: Is the term "Derby Days" copyrighted by Sigma Chi?

Thanks for the info on Derby Days. I have to say that honestly I didn't know it was a Philanthropic event. The one I participated in (I was either an Alpha or had just recently been initiated) I thought it was a competition between the sororities. There were a bunch of events we did (some of which I will not mention on this board). I do remember participating in Skit Night. We had two Sigma Chi's as like our "guides". I guess each sorority had two Sigma Chi's. They guys "had to" (at least I think they did) participate in that sororities skit. All I remember (since it was in 1998) is that we made our poor guy dress up as a woman. I also only remember that in the end Theta won Derby Days. :)

Quote:

Originally posted by CarolinaCutie
Question: Is the term "Derby Days" copyrighted by Sigma Chi?

I'm not an attorney, nor do I play one on t.v., but I believe the term "Derby Days" may be in the public domain.

FYI: Derby refers to the bowler style hat that is round and black and hard with a narrow brim; often worn by some British businessmen.

Quote:

Originally posted by ASUADPi
Thanks for the info on Derby Days. I have to say that honestly I didn't know it was a Philanthropic event. The one I participated in (I was either an Alpha or had just recently been initiated) I thought it was a competition between the sororities. There were a bunch of events we did (some of which I will not mention on this board). I do remember participating in Skit Night. We had two Sigma Chi's as like our "guides". I guess each sorority had two Sigma Chi's. They guys "had to" (at least I think they did) participate in that sororities skit. All I remember (since it was in 1998) is that we made our poor guy dress up as a woman. I also only remember that in the end Theta won Derby Days. :)

This sounds like a typical Derby Day.

Again, it varies campus to campus. Most last a week and are referred to as Derby Days while on some campuses, it may be a day event and simply referred to as Derby Day.

In any case, Derby Days should be a week/day of “focused community servicing” and involve events, games, skits, or activities. Derby Days usually involve a competition between the sororities and on some campuses, women's dorms and or independent groups as well. All the while, and hopefully, raising funds for charity.

Derby Day Events

Here is a bit of Derby history from the University of South Carolina. :eek:

Campus Traditions

Quote:

Some traditions, such as Derby Day, just weren’t politically correct anymore, said Harry Lesesne, MA ’95, Ph.D. ’98, associate director and historian of the USC Bicentennial Office.

Introduced by the Sigma Chi fraternity in 1947, Derby Day featured sorority sisters competing in the Miss Venus pageant, wearing high heels, short-shorts, tight blouses, and paper bags over their heads.

http://www.sc.edu/carolinian/feature...r_01b_side.jpg

Re: Sigma Chi Derby Days

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Word

Ball State: Fraternity's events raise more than $1,800

Congrats to Sigma Chi! And to the top three sororities in the competition - Kappa Delta, Alpha Gamma Delta and Delta Zeta!

Fraternity's events raise more than $1,800
Part of Sigma Chi's Derby Days proceeds benefit Riley hospital
YaVonda Smalls | Chief Reporter
March 21, 2005

Full Article

Sigma Chi fraternity raised more than $1,800 during last week's Derby Days, the fraternity's national annual philanthropic event.

Seventy percent of the Derby Days proceeds will benefit Riley's Children's Hospital in Indianapolis, an affiliate hospital of the Children's Miracle Network. The network is the primary beneficiary of the event. The remaining 30 percent of the Derby Days proceeds will benefit the charities of the seven sororities that also participated in last week's activities.

To prepare for Derby Days, women from the seven participating sororities were organized into 43 five-member teams. The Derby Days entry fee for each team was $50, and the fraternity received additional donations from local businesses, Sapurstein said. The Sigma Chi brothers served as coaches for the 43 sorority teams, which competed for points in several events. Events included a chili cook-off, scavenger hunt, March Madness-themed event at The Bird in the Village and several games and contests at the Sigma Chi house.

Derby Days began in Spring 1933 when the Sigma Chi chapter at the University of California Berkeley put on an event called the Channingway Derby, which included a series of skits, according to the Derby Days Web site.

Derby Days reached its final form in the 1960s when Sigma Chi initiated the fraternity's first philanthropic project, which inspired most chapters to contribute to the cause.

Last year, Sigma Chi as a national fraternity raised more than $550,000.

I love Sigma Chis and I love Derby Days because it is entertaining and raises money for charity. I really had fun at the Derby Days held a few weeks ago.

I am glad that certain sororities didn't participate in it because I think it's rather patriarchal as it is done at the Universities I have attended. But, the subservience is for a really good cause (:rolleyes: ).

Did I mention that I love Sigma Chis?

Re: Derby Day Events

Quote:

Originally posted by TSteven
Here is a bit of Derby history from the University of South Carolina. :eek:

Campus Traditions

http://www.sc.edu/carolinian/feature...r_01b_side.jpg

The subservience has taken on different forms. The women might as well have paper bags over their heads still.