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Foam & fun at U Fla rush
Foam frenzy, rush revelry
By BRITTANY RAJCHEL
Special to The Sun
August 29. 2005 6:01AM
Alpha Epsilon Pi at the University of Florida threw a beer suds bash Sunday night - only without the beer.
The Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity kicked off the 2005 fall rush with a "Foam Frenzy" party, where cannons sprayed lighter-than-air soap suds onto partygoers and AEPi members.
"We just want people to come out, have a good time and get to know us," said Steven Blank, president of AEPi.
AEPi is one of 23 UF fraternities trying to recruit new members throughout the week. Nearly all are throwing creatively themed parties, albeit without alcohol. That is the rule during rush week, said Chris Bucciarelli, membership vice president for the Interfraternity Council.
About 500 UF students are expected to go through the recruitment process in hopes of finding a fraternity that's just right for them.
Fraternities pull out all the stops to create a lively atmosphere.
Each night has a theme over at the Phi Delta Theta house, said Mike Gehring, membership vice president for the fraternity.
Tonight, the brothers will host their annual Phi Roast, where members roast a pig in the front yard, which is lit up with tiki torches, he explained. On Tuesday, the fraternity will host a "Legendary Casino Night" in their ballroom, which will be set up to look like a Las Vegas casino.
"All the brothers will be dressed up like high-rollers in suits and ties and sorority girls and girlfriends will be wearing cocktail dresses," he said. "We'll get to know the new guys around the craps tables."
Many fraternities use live music to catch the ear of a guy who might be making his way up and down frat row.
On Monday, the band, Whole Wheat Bread, is taking a break from the Vans Warped Tour to play at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house, said Nick Otto, spokesman for UF's TKE chapter.
"They're a pretty popular local band who took a day off to come on down and play for us, so it should be a lot of fun, and everyone should check it out," he said.
Some fraternities, however, prefer a more traditional, low-key rush week, said Michael Coots, the rush chairman for Alpha Tau Omega.
The men of ATO hope to woo new brothers the old-fashioned way - through their stomachs, Coots said.
By offering heaping plates of wings, subs and jambalaya, anyone interested in the fraternity can sit down and get to know the brothers of ATO, Coots said.
"We want them to meet the actual brothers, not just judge us for what goods we have," he said.
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